Four Swords: Shadowed Truth REWRITTEN
by Nira Rose
Summary: A new yet familiar evil arrives a year after the Four Sword is returned to its shrine and Link disappears after leaving to reclaim it. Revenge is sought and the flow of time is distorted... The fifth Link shall reawaken at last, along with others...
1. Chapter 0: Prologue

**AN:** Well, I'm baaaack! And better than ever—the story is, at least, even with only the prologue revamped so far. I figured I'd post it up as soon as it was done to prove I'm serious. Enjoy the ride, because it's definitely going to blow its former self away. Also, back in that old prologue that ya'll probably don't remember? I lied. This is not Green x Zelda. It really never should have even started OUT as Green x Zelda. There may be some one-sided Zelda x Green, but I'd much rather spread the under-loved pairing that readers of the original probably already know, but is not going to be said now. By the way, I'm in college now. It's been, what, two years since I last worked on Shadowed Truth? You'll soon see how much better I've gotten… Anyway, enough of me rambling on and on, you're not here for that. You're here for the story.

Many thanks to: **inuyasha 303 **(AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again and **Kankoku-ssi** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: I don't own LoZ. If I did, certain manga character portrayals would be canon in-game and out. This is a website dedicated to fanfiction. Of course I don't own! This should be self-explanatory, but just in case, there you go.

As I always used to say…

Enjoy~!

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><p><span>Prologue<span>

Six long months of monster cleanup and rebuilding after their adventure, the four Links have returned to the Four Sword Sanctuary to become one once more, accompanied by Princess Zelda. Before they do it, Vio exchanges a glance with his fellow Links and, after receiving a nod from Green, an encouraging little smile from Red, and a 'just do it already, sissy' huff from Blue, gently taps the Princess's shoulder to get her attention.

"What is it, Li- err, Vio?"

"Excuse me... Could I speak with you in private for a moment, Your Highness?" he asks politely, hanging back from the others.

"Of course. What would you like to speak about?"

The purple-clad youth looks down nervously, resisting the urge to fidget. Internally berating himself for being 'such a coward', the teen forces his gaze to meet the princess's and begins to speak, keeping his voice low so the others don't hear.

"Forgive me, Princess, for asking such a thing of you, but soon, I will no longer be able to watch over it myself... Please, all I ask is that you keep this safe."

Vio pulls a small bottle out of a pouch attached to his belt and holds it out for her to see.

She looks at it curiously before returning her clear blue gaze to him, perplexed.

'_This side of Link seems a bit odd…'_ Hyrule's crown Princess thinks to herself.

"I do not mean to be rude, but… Why are you asking me to safeguard an empty bottle?"

'_No turning back now,'_ Vio thinks, his calm façade wavering for just a moment in the form of a tiny frown and furrowed brows.

"It… isn't empty, your Highness," the purple-clothed young hero answers evenly, a shaking, nervous wreck behind his stiff, overly polite mask as he steps aside into a shadow cast by one of the four mysterious columns placed around the Four Sword's pedestal. "I must have forgotten; you were still imprisoned in that black cloud at the time…"

'_When he sacrificed himself to save us…'_

"Can you see more clearly now, Your Highness?"

She shakes her head with a sigh. "No, it still appears quite empty to me. Perhaps if I could look more closely…?"

"Y-yes, of course. Just… please take care not to drop it."

He holds it out again hesitantly, allowing Zelda to gently take the little glass container from his hands to better inspect its contents.

'_Perhaps whatever is within it glows?'_ she guesses, cupping a hand around it.

Looking closely, the Princess's deep blue eyes manage to pick out a scattering of faint, barely visible motes of light drifting sluggishly behind the glass. The Triforce of Wisdom in her right hand sends out a barely noticeable pulse of warmth in response— she knows it quite well from the time she's spent with Link growing up, though it's very faint: the gentle warmth of two pieces of the Sacred Triangle greeting each other.

'_The Triforce of Courage? But I'm not touching Vio's hand any longer—'_

Vio doesn't notice Zelda's eyes widen, too lost in his own frantic thoughts.

_'Shadow... I won't let you die. I just… I could never forgive myself. I wish I could have had more time to look for a way to bring you back, but… time's up. It's too late. In just a few minutes, I'll be gone; just a part of Link's personality and nothing more unless he ever needs the Four Sword again. At least you'll be safe with the Princess… I hope…' _

The Princess descends into thought as well, thinking back to the one and only time she's ever felt that warmth in the presence of someone other than Link*.

'_Before I was snatched away… In that moment__,__ I saw him as he truly was. That gaze… Despite the color, those were LINK'S eyes. I felt it then, too. A faint echo of the Triforce of Courage__'__s warmth… Are the contents of this bottle connected to him somehow?__'_

"Green told you about what happened during the final two battles, right?" Vio asks, his voice breaking her out of her thoughts. "About… what became of the Dark Mirror?"

He isn't looking at her, his gaze instead directed towards the tall, flat object placed against the back wall of the Sanctuary and covered by a tarp: the Dark Mirror, painstakingly repaired with all the pieces the four boys had been able to find, though there were still a few holes. It had taken quite a bit of effort, but the four Links had been adamant about it and wouldn't drop the issue until they'd won out. The story told to the public was that it was brought here so that the Four Sword's close proximity would drain whatever power it may still have left, but he knows the real reason.

After all, it's only fitting that all _five_ heroes of this time should be honored here...

Zelda notices his gaze and her suspicion is confirmed. "This is about _him_."

"These sparks of light..." he begins, struggling to keep his voice neutral.

"They're… They're all that's left of him. I gathered as many of them as I could into this bottle for safekeeping. I know you must hate him for all he's done, Goddesses know everyone else seems to, but Your Highness, I—"

"Shh," she interrupts softly, soothing the nervous hero with a warm smile. "You were afraid I was going to say no, weren't you? Don't worry so much. You'll be pleasantly surprised to hear that I don't hate him at all, actually. I'll keep him safe. He's one of the Links too, after all, and he tried to save me from the cloud of darkness even though he was weakened and had only just reemerged from the Dark Mirror."

"He did…?" Vio mumbles, looking a bit dazed.

'_On top of saving us, he tried to rescue the Princess, too? Then again, Green did mention that 'the fake Vio' had been in a panic about her being in danger…'_

"Yes," Zelda answers.

Vio doesn't seem to hear, likely stunned by the mere fact that there is indeed someone else in Hyrule other than himself and his 'brothers' who doesn't feel hatred towards the fifth hero of their adventure, the one who will, he's sure, be recorded in Hyrule's legends as the opposite.

"Shadow Link is as much of a hero to me as you four are, even if he was a bit… uncouth at first," she continues with a smile.

This manages to startle a small, disbelieving laugh out of the stoic, usually calm Vio and he lets a smile slip onto his face. "Thank you, Your Highness. This means a lot to me…"

Blue yells something about how Vio's taking his sweet time and to hurry up already before Red starts crying again, so he runs off to rejoin the others so they can return the Four Sword to its resting place.

_'Shadow... I wish we could meet just one more time. I never got a chance to apologize, to tell you that I wasn't lying when I 'pretended' to be your friend. We were, no, we __**are**__ friends. We're friends and we always will be.'_

Soon, only one Link stands in the Sanctuary and he and Zelda leave together, holding hands. The bottle is safely hidden in a concealed pocket sewn into the underside of the Princess's skirt, the tiny sparks within shimmering brightly for a moment.

Neither Princess nor Hero looks back, so only the six Maidens, having chosen to remain as fairies to guard the shrine, see the shadow of Link's hand slowly detach itself from the shadow of Zelda's and give a cheeky thumbs up.

* * *

><p>"<em>That child… What do you intend to do with him, dear Sister?"<em>

"_Ha, why are you even asking her that? Just go get your storybooks like you're so obviously itching to so you can start teaching him once he's ready. Even I can see the brat's adorable, and it's clear what we're gonna do..__.__ Keep him. Always did want a pet.__"_

"_Yes… I intend to raise the boy, and I hope you both will aid me in it. That time is coming soon, and so all must be ready… And he is not a pet.__"_

"_Yeah, yeah, I know. I was just joking. Let's get to it, then, it's almost time for the fun to begin."_

"_I will never understand how you can possibly enjoy such a thing so much, Sister…"_

"_Please, you two, now is not the time to bicker. Let us begin…"_

* * *

><p>The Palace of Winds drifts quietly through the sky, restored to its former state as a shrine to the wind after Gufuu's destruction and Ganondorf's sealing. Over the months that have passed since while the Four Links cleaned up the last of the monsters plaguing the land, it slowly made its way to a small forest south of Lake Hylia and has remained here since, floating amongst the clouds. On days when no clouds drift above these woods, the Palace is clearly visible, most often drifting near the small, run-down ruins of a long-forgotten temple down in the woods below.<p>

In the heart of the tallest spire, Sky-Tall Tower, lies Gufuu's former bedchamber. Within the large but lonely room lie only two things: a large nest in one corner taking up almost a fourth of the room where Gufuu would sleep and a statue of a short, effeminate creature. It's humanoid, but whatever it is, the statue clearly doesn't depict a Hylian...

*shfff…*

The soft sound drifts through the quiet Palace as if it were just another breeze as translucent, ephemeral black wings gently wrap themselves around it and disappear…

* * *

><p><strong>*<strong>At this point, Zelda just thinks of the four Links as simply Link unless she's addressing one by name, in her mind and out. Zelda has noticed that the ToW only reacts to Red, Blue, Green or Vio if one or more of them touches her and has concluded that the ToC is temporarily spread between them, so its 'signal', so to speak, is weaker. …Hey, don't get any weird ideas, I meant like when she fell on them after Ganny's defeat in the manga or normal contact like, for example, her hand and Vio's touching as he handed her the little bottle! Don't be pervs, please! …Not yet, anyway… *shifty eyes* …The fluff hasn't even started yet. _**Then**_ you can giggle about potential hand-holding, et cetera. Haha, don't you just _love_ how I keep tricking your minds into the gutter~?

**AN:** It's changed quiiiite a bit, hasn't it? I decided to end it with them leaving the Sanctuary, though I've also added two scenes that should shed some light on things for readers of the original- and make you excited for what's to come, I hope. Please review, I love feedback.


	2. Chapter 1: Full Circle

**AN:** Hey, that was fast! …It still doesn't really make up for how long I've put this off, though… Umm, please don't expect me to update a chapter a day (I don't want to disappoint anyone and I can only update as fast as I can type, after all), though I'll try to crank them out at a decent pace (heck, I feel like working on the next chapter now anyway). I couldn't think of a good title that relates directly to the goings-on in the chapter, so I named it 'full circle' in reference to the fact that this chapter, Chapter One, begins right where the official manga left off. It's a lot more related to the manga this time, at least in my opinion, and I'm doing my research so things make more sense. For example, matching monster types and/or appearances to Four Swords and/or Minish Cap wherever possible and planning on making an actual conscious effort to make a sort of solid 'map' of this version of Hyrule's geographical layout. More on that at the bottom; time for the story!

Many thanks to: **inuyasha 303 **(AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again and **Kankoku-ssi** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: I don't own LoZ. That's why this is a fanfiction.

Enjoy~!

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><p><span>Chapter 1:<span> Full Circle

_~Eleven months later...~_

"Heeeelp!" a voice cries from a tavern near Castle Town's harbor, accompanied by crashing and the sounds of chaos.

"Father, hurry! It's the pirates again!*" one of Hyrule's youngest knights calls over his shoulder before darting into the alleyways as planned while his companions continue down the main road on horseback. His now-famous green tunic flutters in the wind generated by his passing as the young hero hurtles down the well-known shortcut—he takes it quite often during the fishing season and knows it by heart.

The building is quickly surrounded by the mounted knights while the boy on foot heads inside to join the brawl, his fellow warriors moving to secure the safety of the civilians.

"You never learn do you, Jago!" the blonde teen in question laughs, leaping into the fray with sword and shield at the ready.

"Same fer you, Left-handed Hero!" the pirate leader grins, a bag slung over his shoulder in one hand and his trusty blade in the other. "I'll win some day, an' until then, this 'ere port will be a stop along the route fer me an' me crew!"

"You can do it, honey!" the water girl the dark-haired pirate had tried to kidnap mere days before Gufuu's escape from the Four Sword a year and a half ago cheers, a marriage band sparkling on one finger to match the one the rough-and-tumble seafarer wears on his own.

The General, captain of the knights, can't help but stare at her in surprise.

Soon, the fight is over and the two combatants are both winded. The victor is the boy in green.

"Sheesh, Jago, aren't you a bit early?" he pants, sitting on the ground to catch his breath. "That sack's too bulky for the fish your crew usually brings in, too…"

"You okay, honey?" the water girl-turned-pirate's wife asks her husband after checking up on the crew.

"Aye, jus' th' usual scratches, luv. Nuthin' t'worry yer dear little head 'bout."

"Honestly, if you intend to make an honest profit selling goods here from now on, discipline your men," the General sighs, stepping forward. "Keep this up and we will not be able to be so lenient with you in the future."

"Aye, aye, Lord Knight, so ye've said an' so I've heard," Jago answers wearily. "Wot can I say? Me men 're a tad too fond of th' drink."

The rest of the pirate troop is tied up and ready for a night spent in the dungeons to sober up, watched over by the other knights.

"Now, down to business. What strange oddity have you brought this time?" he asks, motioning to the bag Jago still hangs onto even now. "It is… _squirming."_

"Aye, this?" the old pirate sighs, the cheer gone from his voice as he plops the bag onto the ground, stoically ignoring the thrashing of whatever's inside. "Goddess-damned scum tore holes through all our fishin' nets an' attacked th' ship… We may be pirates, but I'll be damned if'n I dannae when ta bring summat t' the attention of ye law-keepers."

"What? Are you saying there's something even you can't handle, old man?" the blonde teen asks in surprise.

"Y'could say that. Here, see fer yerself."

With that, Jago pulls the drawstring of the bag open and turns it on its end, sending a blue-scaled fish-creature spilling out to thrash angrily in the dirt, glaring balefully at everyone present with its single eye. Its mouth is tightly bound with rope so it can't spit, the sturdy seaman's knots tied in key points in the coils binding its entire body holding it firmly and rendering it fairly harmless.

"A River Zola*!" the blonde exclaims in surprise. "Why would one of those be in the ocean? We made sure to wipe out as many as we could, too…"

"Link, go report this to His Highness the King," the General orders. "I and the others knights shall take care of things here.

"Yes, Father," the blonde teen, Link, answers, his hand momentarily clenching around the hilt of his sheathed sword as he turns on his heel and breaks into a run, back towards the castle.

'_Ugh, what'__s the matter with me? Ever since I went back to being just me again, I've been getting annoyed by my own name… It's so weird. Part of me just wants to yell, "I'm __**Green**__!" each time someone calls me Link, but that doesn't make any sense! Red, Blue and Vio are part of me, and so is Green… But why do I feel like that's wrong…?'_

"This is troubling…" the General mutters to himself. "Yet another monster report. The frequency of it is rising as well…"

* * *

><p>Later, in the throne room, the famous left-handed hero, Link, kneels before the King and Princess alongside his father, the General and Captain of the Knights.<p>

"Hmm… This is worrisome indeed," the King pronounces gravely. "Not only have sightings of monsters been increasing in the recent months, but my precious daughter, Zelda, has once more been dreaming of a Hyrule covered in dark clouds… Zelda, if you would?"

The Princess straightens in her seat. Bags pool under her eyes, evidence of many nights of restlessness and little, if any, sleep.

"Each night in these past weeks, each dream has revealed just a little more to me up until three days ago…" she begins, fighting back a yawn. "Since then, the dream has been exactly the same each night. Just as it did when the seal on Gufuu* was weakening, the first presented me with the sight of black, foreboding clouds spreading over Hyrule and blotting out the sun. However, with each dream that followed, I was shown more…"

"Zelda told me of her dream the third night, explaining that, though she had initially believed it to be a mere nightmare, each successive vision revealed something new. As such, we agreed that it would be kept private until the Goddesses had shown all they wished to show my dear daughter," the King adds.

"After the clouds, I saw the Palace of Winds from afar and heard faint voices drifting through the clouds, calling out a warning in a language I could not understand. I saw the Demon Gufuu's black wings furled tightly around a blurred figure, then a dark silhouette—I believe it was a woman—reaching towards me with an aura of hatred, though I did not see myself…"

She pauses, yawning.

With each word, the warriors' faces grow more and more grim.

"I saw… I saw time running backwards, victory warped into defeat by that hate-filled silhouette…"

"Zelda, I know you worry for the boy, but you _must_ tell him," the King coaxes. "General, I am sure you and your son have already realized the reason for this private audience…"

"The last thing I saw… was the Four Sword Sanctuary," the Princess finishes hesitantly. "The Four Sword wasn't there…"

"As your son is its chosen wielder, it is only fitting that he be the one to investigate, and that I consult you first, as you are his father, General," the King continues. "Of course, he will be accompanied by—"

"Your Highness, I mean no disrespect, but I believe it would be wiser to move quickly. It will take time to organize a proper expedition and I am already quite familiar with the area," the blonde hero in question quickly interrupts. "Therefore, I humbly ask that you allow me to go alone."

"Link!" both his father and Zelda gasp, startled.

"Do not interrupt His Majesty!"

"But it will be dangerous!"

The King laughs heartily. "I see you are as brave as always, boy. Very well. When do you intend to leave?"

"I will need a bit of time to prepare… I will head out at dawn tomorrow," Link answers immediately.

"Son—"

The General falls silent as Zelda leaps from her seat and grips her childhood friend tightly by the arm, dragging him off to her chambers.

"H-hey, Zelda—!"

"Excuse me, Father, General; I would like to have a word with him in private," the Princess says with perfect composure, mixing coldness and etiquette as only an angered Royal can as she drags her struggling friend out of the chamber. "Please excuse us."

"Children grow up so quickly… Don't you agree, Your Majesty?"

"Ah, indeed they do. It happens right before our very eyes, and yet it seems as if it were only yesterday when they were small…"

* * *

><p>"What were you <em><strong>thinking?<strong>_" the Princess yells, making her best friend flinch. Her anger has taken precedence over her tired state, turning her from a sleepy, demure Princess to a raging storm of Royal ire.

He backs up a bit, wary of the potential effects of her infamous temper combined with her current sleep-deprived state.

"Z-Zelda, calm down! It's not like I'll be out investigating all alone! You know that!"

"I don't care; you'll still be alone until then! Alone, overconfident as always, and vulnerable to all sorts of dangers! You're not invincible, Link!"

The teen's hand finds itself clenched around the hilt of his sword.

She notices it, her anger immediately draining away to be replaced by concern. "Link?"

Clench.

"Link, why are you…?"

He uneasily avoids her gaze as his fingers twitch a third time, letting out a long, shaky breath.

'_I can't take this anymore… This uncomfortable feeling…'_

"Green…" he murmurs.

"What?"

"Zelda, please… Just… just humor me, alright?" he says quietly, his cerulean eyes remaining fixed on his brown boots. "Just… call me Green. Not Link."

"But why? What's wrong? Why won't you look at me, Li—"

"I told you; I'm _Green_!" the troubled hero yells, the words spilling out before he can stop them.

Stunned silence fills Zelda's little study. Link is staring at his hands as if they belong to someone else. The Princess steps forward, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You've been keeping something bottled up again, haven't you?" she asks gently. "You know you can tell me, so please just let it out."

He finally looks up, meeting her eyes.

"…Ever since I—_we_—returned the Four Sword to the Sanctuary, I've felt so strange. Whenever I hear my name, it… it doesn't feel right. My father has been getting really worried—sometimes I won't even hear him when he calls me at home until the third or fourth time he calls me. I tried explaining it to him, and he does call me Green now when we're at home, but he got this weird, sad look on his face when I asked him to and wouldn't explain why. The worst part, though is that each time someone calls me "Link", part of me…"

"Go on," she coaxes.

"…Part of me… Part of me gets so… so _angry_. I feel like whoever said it is just ignoring their existence somehow, even though I know that isn't true… It's bad enough one of us is seen as a monster! And you know what's even weirder? When they disappeared, I didn't feel any different. Not one bit. I don't have any of their equipment, either. It's like—"

"Do you miss them?" Zelda interrupts.

He stares at her, looking almost insulted. "Of course I do! How could I not?"

She smiles a bit sadly and pushes him towards the door. "Go on, then. I should know better; there's no stopping you when your mind's made up, not when you've got that stubborn look in your eyes… Green the "Determined Link", brave leader of the Four Sword Heroes dressed in a tunic dyed the vibrant shade of Hyrule's fields and forests!"

A real, untroubled smile slowly spreads across his face and he lets out a surprised little laugh. "Hahaha! That title you came up with sounds like something Blue would get all puffed up about! Heheh… Thanks, Zelda. I needed that more than I even realized…"

She catches his sleeve as he turns to go.

"Wait!"

"What is it?"

"Green… Promise me one thing, okay? Once you've reunited with them again, please come straight back to the castle. I have… something I need to return to one of you."

"Vio will be overjoyed to hear that, I'm sure," he answers lightly, his expression becoming solemn again after a moment.

"Let's make it a deal instead. One month. If we're not here in one month, feel free to come after us, guards or no."

"Wh-who told you I've been training?"

"Impa*," he answers flatly.

"Oh…"

She breathes a sigh of relief.

'_It's been quite difficult to keep everything under wraps, but it seems my secret is still safe. If any of the castle servants found out, it would be all over Hyrule in days!'_

"Anyway, I've got one condition, though," Green continues, his voice bringing Zelda's attention back to reality. "Before you start searching, bring "it" to the Four Sword Sanctuary."

"I accept, but I admit, I'm curious… Why a month?"

He looks out a nearby window, staring up at the clear blue sky. "Because, one month from now, it'll have been a year since the Four Sword was returned to its shrine; a year and a half since our first adventure. Besides, you said your dreams had to do with time, right? There might be a connection to it..."

She smiles brightly and this time it reaches her eyes. "Well then, get going, O Hero! Return here in one month or less, or I'm coming after you! Clock's ticking!"

"Hahaha! Understood, O Princess! Just you wait; we'll be back before you know it!"

The sun is setting as Zelda watches her childhood friend and savior dash down the path between the castle and the town proper, headed for the cottage by the forest he shares with his father to ready himself for his journey. Left alone in her bedroom for the night, she goes to the wall above her bed and opens a hidden compartment.

"One month… I hope it won't come to that, but…"

She takes the small, tightly sealed bottle that rests within and raises it to her eye level to peer inside.

Tiny sparks of light swirl and flicker, appearing more like weak, ephemeral stars than the embers of a fading flame as they spiral in a hurried, frantic stream that, if it was any faster, would likely blur into a coiling streamer of light rather than the cloud of individual motes it truly is.

"I have such a horrible feeling about all of this. Even you agree with me, don't you? Your sparks are shining more brightly and moving with far more haste than usual—has something stirred you from your sleep? He would surely be quite angry with me if I let you fade away, Shadow Link… Tell me, are they walking straight into danger? What has made you so agitated?"

The glimmering pinpricks that are all that's left of the shadow of the heroes whirl in silent, ever-changing patterns within their glass sanctuary, offering no answers. The princess laughs softly in spite of herself, the sound a wry chuckle devoid of any true amusement.

"I must be going crazy; talking to a bottle like this. Even if you could hear me somehow, you couldn't possibly answer…"

She puts the bottle back in its hiding place with a sigh.

"The four of you had better come back, for his sake as well as mine..."

All she can do now is wait.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Well, I guess Jago gets a bigger role this time! The pace is both slower and faster than in the original, too, even though the same amount of time will pass between Shadow breaking the Dark Mirror and his revival/reawakening: a year and a half. Quicker in that the intervals are different, but slower in that the chapters are ending in different places this time. I decided to give a reason for Vio to have had any time to research bringing Shadow back in the first place, so half a year of monster-cleanup and rebuilding works… Also, I've taken to explaining some things here at the bottom, marked by asterisks in the main story. That way, my references make more sense and the explanations don't break up the flow of the story. From now on, I'll just do it here below my main 'note'. Please review and I hope ya'll are enjoying the revamped story. …Yes, I like saying ya'll. Shadow says it in the scanlation of the manga and you past readers already know I kept it as his speaking quirk in my fic… Again, review please!

**Pirates:** That quote is a bit of a mash-up between the online scanlation of the Four Swords manga and the 'official' paperback form I own a copy of. In the paperback, he says "Father, hurry! Bandits!" and in the beginning of the story Jago's band are referred to as bandits as well. However, just LOOK at Jago. He _looks_ like a pirate. He dresses like a pirate. He acts like it, too. In the online scanlation, he is referred to as a pirate, not a bandit, and in my mind, this fits better. The water girl/pretty girl Jago tried to kidnap in the beginning of the manga reappears in the last scene and appears to be cheering… I decided to put a twist on this, as well as the bag Jago has over his shoulder in the scene, and so this new, very much altered beginning was born. You may want to look into the manga to understand what I'm going on about… I'm pretty sure free scanlations can still be found online if you can't afford to buy the two volumes.

**River Zola:** I checked on the Zelda Wiki, and the aggressive River Zora, a recurring enemy in the Zelda series, is sometimes referred to as the River Zola by fans to differentiate it from its peaceful, civilized relatives. This particular description of it matches its appearance in the Four Sword games. The 'Zola' name originates from a mistranslation of Zora in one of the earlier Zelda game's manuals back before the 3D games (3D most likely referring to Ocarina of Time) when Zoras were just an enemy and not a separate race of Hyrule as well.

**Gufuu: **Sorry to any new readers who were confused by this! In the online scanlations of the Four Swords manga (which is what I read before I got my paper copies), the Wind Sorcerer/Demon is referred to by what I think is probably Vaati's Japanese name, Gufuu. I looked up name meanings and discovered the meanings of the two characters making up the name: Fuu is wind and Gu (this form, anyway) is storm, so Gufuu literally translates to 'wind storm'. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the meaning is 'hurricane', which still makes sense… The one these Four Sword Links faced is Gufuu. There is a reason for this, but you'll find that out in a later chapter.

**Impa:** That's right; I'm including Impa in this! Even if she doesn't make an actual cameo, she'll be present as a background/side character. It's one of her Sheikah incarnations, not the chubby, motherly handmaiden of Oracle of Seasons/Ages. …Really, it may be a sort of mix of the two… This fic's Zelda decided to devote her studies to both magic and the Sheikah arts, wanting to learn to defend herself in case another threat ever befalls Hyrule. She's sick and tired of sitting on the sidelines while Link gets in danger for her, regardless of whether the enemy is angry bees from a hive their younger selves accidentally disturbed or a powerful villain/monster. So, yep, this fic's Zelda will be less of a damsel of distress and more self-sufficient. Like in the original version, she'll be taking initiative more often and may even appear more. She will not be outright adventuring alongside the party, but she won't be helpless, either.

**This Hyrule's** **Geography:** Hyrule Field will of course be the hub from which other regions are most often reached, and the layout will probably be some mix of Minish Cap and Four Swords (once I FINALLY look up the map layout of Four Swords) plus some improvising. After all, the Four Swords game I'm familiar with consisted of separate levels instead of the usual overworld exploration, so I kind of NEED to improvise. So far, I've worked out:

-Hyrule Castle is separated from Castle Town by a small section of field like it is in Minish Cap.

-The Four Sword Sanctuary is in a separate area than Hyrule Castle. Seeing as it was reached through a portal in Minish Cap, I will go with the idea that at some point it moved from its gap between dimensions to Hyrule proper, since otherwise it would have been impossible to get in unless the gate between Hyrule and the world of the Minish was open. I haven't decided where exactly it is, but it is definitely outdoors. The four Elements are still on their pedestals (hey, they're even shown briefly in the FS manga) and the partly-repaired Dark Mirror is behind the altar where the sword is.

-The Minish Woods is present (though its layout will probably be different) and is located south of Lake Hylia (because it's south of Lake Hylia in Minish Cap). It and the Lost Woods are two different forests in this fic. The run-down temple in it I mentioned in the prologue is the Deepwood Shrine where MC Link got the Earth Element.

-The Palace of Winds in my fic drifts through the sky rather than have a tower tying it to the ground, and, unlike in the second Four Swords game, it did not collapse when Gufuu was defeated. The Wind Tribe (from MC) may make an appearance, but even if they don't, they're around somewhere and are the reason why it remains afloat. Currently, the Palace is sticking close to the Minish Woods. Why? Go ahead and guess~! Sky-Tall Tower is the Palace's tallest spire and is probably the central one, too. Now that the evil's gone, it's back to being a wind shrine. The Wind Palace is where MC Link got the Wind Element. Kind of ironic/nostalgic that Vaati/Gufuu calls it home, huh?

-I'm not sure if the Temple of Droplets or Cave of Flames will be in this fic, but I'm pretty sure the Wind Fortress won't be… The Temple of Darkness from the FS manga is in this Hyrule, though.

Aaaaand that's it for Chapter One! Please review!


	3. Chapter 2: Role Reversal

**AN:** Managing to keep up a fast pace for now… I get the feeling my chapters are bigger than they used to be, even without counting the extra info at the bottom. I want some reviews to see how I'm doing before I plunge into this too deep, I don't want to end up running out of steam like I did with the original.

Many thanks to: **inuyasha 303 **(AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again and **Kankoku-ssi** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: I don't owwwwn.

Enjoy~!

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><p><span>Chapter 2:<span> Role Reversal

Quiet footsteps merge seamlessly with the peaceful quiet of the Four Sword Sanctuary as a familiar blonde youth walks past the four columns with their mysterious relics and approaches the altar.

"I'm finally back…"

He makes his way behind the Four Sword's pedestal to the tall, wide object standing against the back wall and smiles weakly, reaching up to pull off the tarp. Moments later, the off-white fabric pools carelessly on the stone tiles of the floor and his own face stares back at him, reflected in the black, cracked glass of the Dark Mirror.

"There. That way, if you can somehow see through the Mirror from the Dark World, you'll be able to see us and not just some cloth, Shadow," he says quietly, turning away to grip the holy blade's hilt in both hands.

A bright light erupts from the sword as he points it skyward—

"AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Take this, accursed Hero!" an unfamiliar, sinister female voice cackles.

'_What a foolish little wretch. The moment a holy sword is drawn, its wielder is completely helpless; utterly, deliciously __**vulnerable~**__…__ You've walked right into my trap, just as I knew you would. Not even that accursed Triforce can protect you now!'_

He tries to turn around, but nothing happens. _He can't move_.

The cruel voice lashes at his sensitive, pointed ears, chanting a spell in a twisted, long-forgotten tongue that makes his skin crawl.

'_No…!'_

The last thing he hears is a quartet of screams before everything fades to black…

* * *

><p>"...Uuuuhhh..."<p>

A small boy tosses and turns in his sleep, whimpering quietly.

_"Eeeew, run away! It's the devil-eyed boy!"*_

"_Remember your place, shadow hero! It's __**Lord**__ Ganon who protects you from the light."_

_"I have such a horrible feeling about all of this."_

"_In the end… You're just a __**reflection**__ of us."_

_"Freak!"_

"_Shadow… One day, I promise, I __**will**__ find a way to bring you back…"_

_"Go back to your own damn kind, you monster!"_

_"Shadow Link is as much of a hero to me as you four are, even if he was a bit… uncouth at first."_

_"Demon-child!"_

"_Lord Ganon, we found one!"_

"_Of course it does. You're one of us… You're our __**friend**__!"_

"_**Best friends forever, right?"**_

"_AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Take this, accursed Hero!"_

"AAAAAAAH!" he cries out, snapping awake. "M-mama...!"

"_**I am **__**right here, little one**__**,"**_ a gentle voice answers. _**"**__**What is the matter?"**_

"...S-s-s-scared... heard… s-screams…! Wh-what if…?"

She gently pats his head, reassuring him. _**"Fear not, dearest... Everything will be fine. I am certain of it."**_

* * *

><p>She scrapes herself off the stone floor with a snarl, her eyes filled with a vicious, vindictive hatred as she glares at her adversary.<p>

"Why you…! You dare defy me, hmm? Fine! I've looked into your past, fool; I know what you're waiting for! All the better for me; this damn dusty place is the perfect place for my new pet to run wild!"

* * *

><p><em>~One Month Later~<em>

The sky sparkles with stars and most folk are fast asleep as a hushed meeting is convened in Zelda's little study between herself, the General and Impa, her nursemaid, bodyguard and secret trainer.

"Your Highness… Are you sure this is wise? It is not that I do not believe your words, but that monster…"

"He is no monster, I assure you," Zelda retorts icily. "Shadow Link saved my life and that of all four "Links" by breaking the Dark Mirror with his own hands, knowing full well his own would be forfeit in the process. Now, General, please tell me why you feel such unease when I call your son Green. Time is short and I must get going soon."

"You honestly intend to—"

"My charge is very serious about this, Mister All-Knowing Knight Captain," Impa interrupts with a chuckle. "She's been training very hard this past month and could take you down with ease if it comes down to it."

"What are you—?"

"Pressure points are quite handy, are they not?" the Sheikah woman continues with a smirk.

"Impa, stop it. I do not intend to use any sort of coercion against Green's own father!"

"You've grown to be as stubborn as my son, I see… Very well. I will send my men on a wild goose chase as you requested—the exercise shall be good for them, I am sure. However, I intend to make my way to the Sanctuary afterwards. I would like to see the truth with my own eyes."

"Thank you, General. Impa, please bring out the garments and lay them on my bed," Zelda orders politely. The woman disappears into the Princess's bedchamber with hardly a sound.

Zelda turns back to the General. "Now, please answer my question," she says smoothly, stopping the older man's attempt to change the subject in its tracks.

He flinches, looking down. "My late wife… It was her favorite color, you see. We named our child Green after the lush hue of the fields and forests. When she died, it served only as a reminder, and so I… I began to call him Link after my grandfather. He had been just a baby then, so I thought he did not remember, but…"

"I am sorry for dredging up painful memories, General, and I thank you for your honesty," Zelda interrupts gently. "I had no idea it was something like that… However, I do believe it is nearly midnight. I shall… 'retire to my bed' now, and suggest you do the same."

'_If Link was Green all along, then there is a strong chance the others are separate from him as well. It certainly helps explain why he didn't feel any different when they became one again, if they even truly did… Perhaps "Red", "Blue" and "Vio" were merely sent into sleep within the sword, or, if they are truly separate individuals, returned to their homes… Perhaps they could even be "Links" from alternate timelines, considering my dreams… I suspect Shadow Link—perhaps I should merely call him Shadow as they do?—may be able to shed some light on the situation…__'_

"Zelda, your 'bedclothes' are ready," Impa calls. "Also, I thought you may want to know… The boy seems fast asleep still, but he looks healthier than he did last night. He's not at all blurry any longer, either."

"Forgive my intrusion, but… What exactly is she talking about, Your Highness?"

"Thank you, Impa; that is all. You may retire to your chambers now," Zelda calls back. "As for your question, General, surely you have heard about the nature of a Sheikah's eyes. Impa can see what we cannot. Where you or I see only a glass bottle holding a small shining light, she perceives a translucent, sleeping boy: Shadow Link himself. With her help, I have been able to keep track of his condition."

"His… condition?"

She sighs. "Seeing as you intend to accompany me, it is only right that I explain what I intend to do. Over the past month, he has shown increasing signs of awareness, or so Impa has told me. My eyes perceive only those tiny, dim sparks that once drifted aimlessly behind the glass gaining brightness and purpose as they slowly merged into a single, unified glow. I do not know what is healing him, be it his own nature or some outside force*, but, just as I could sense the state of Gufuu's seal, I can sense the ties that bind him to this world, and they are growing stronger. Soon, they shall completely overpower those that hold him in the grasp of nothingness… All that's keeping him 'asleep' now is the lack of a conduit for his spirit to focus on. I have two likely candidates for this conduit in mind already. I once saw him wield a blade that resembled, in all things, a shadow of the Four Sword. Your son once told me of how the Four Swords pulsed in response to each other when he was separated from his companions, helping to draw them together once again. Surely, the same must be true for its shadow. Additionally, the Dark Mirror, though broken, has been placed behind the altar. Therefore, if all goes well and my assumptions are correct, he should awaken fully once returned to the Four Sword Sanctuary, regaining his physical form."

"Then you truly are set on this… Clearly, you have had this planned out for quite some time. I will not stand in your way. Be careful, Your Highness. I shall see you in the morning."

"Do be quick, General. I do not wish to wait long."

"Of course, Your Highness."

Zelda is soon alone in her chambers.

"And so one month has passed, just as I feared… It is now my turn to act, Green."

She slips quietly into her bedroom and covers the bottle with a handkerchief before quickly, efficiently stripping down to her undergarments. She then slips into the deep blue, skin-tight bodysuit Impa laid out for her, following it with layers of cream-colored bandages, concealed throwing needles and a few Deku Nuts for good measure.

Her gaze drifts to the glowing bottle resting on her nightstand as she braids her hair and ties it back with more cream-colored strips. Its shine is visible even through the handkerchief, the lights within having gradually merged into one single, fairy-like glow over the past month. Zelda takes the bottle into her now-bandaged hands and slips off the concealing little square of cloth, staring intently at the gently shimmering light. The feeling of warmth emanating from the back of her right hand is far stronger than it was when the bottle first came into her possession and she takes comfort in it. Royal blue eyes shift to Sheikan red as she murmurs a soft spell and she takes the bottle with her out onto her private balcony. The moon is high in the sky, directly overhead: midnight.

"Shadow Link… Soon, very soon, it will be time for you to awaken once more. I promise you, you will walk in the land of light once again…"

A dark blue shadow slips past the guards standing watch with ease and away Zelda goes, following her missing friend's path to the place so many stories began.

* * *

><p>The rising sun's rays glint off of the Dark Mirror's black glass, sending a shimmering rainbow across the small, innocent face of a young boy in a white tunic as he smiles cheerfully.<p>

"You're starting to w-wake up… I'll finally g-get to meet you~…" he giggles quietly, his words interlaced with a bit of a stutter.

"Right n-now, I need to go tell Mister Black-Wings the good n-news, but we'll meet really soon… I hope the P-Princess likes the b-book Auntie wanted me t-to deliver! Heehee~!"

He raises his left hand skyward and the four relics lining the path to the Four Sword's pedestal begin to shine, opening the way to the Palace of Winds. He disappears in a swirl of wind and flash of light, leaving behind an ancient tome lying on the ground in front of the silent mirror.

* * *

><p>The General hurries forward at the sight of what appears to be a young Sheikah warrior sitting just outside the entrance to the Four Sword Sanctuary, quietly watching the clouds drift overhead.<p>

'_I thought that strange woman, Impa, was the only Sheikah currently in service to the Royal family! Could he be lying in wait for the Princess?__'_

"Hmm…?" a distinctly female voice murmurs as the 'Sheikah' stands up and brushes 'himself' off, turning to face the taller warrior. The red tone of the 'Sheikah's' eyes quickly fades away, replaced by a familiar shade of blue, and the seasoned knight wonders how he didn't catch on sooner.

"There you are, General," the disguised princess greets him with a smile, subtly slipping three throwing needles back into their places around her wrist*. "Let us proceed, I do not want to cause my father undue worry by lingering too long."

"O-of course, Your Highness."

"There's no need for such formality here, you know. It is not like any gossipy maids can hear," she giggles, winking. "I'm sure you're eager to see where your son's adventure with his fellow heroes began; let's hurry inside."

The bemused knight shrugs and follows his Princess into the Sanctuary, noting with some surprise—and a small hint of envy—the sheer quietness and elegance of her steps as she seems to glide across ancient cobblestones, grass and smooth, timeworn tile alike: a dancing, ephemeral being of deep blue shadow and bright bandages reminiscent of fluttering funeral cloths. In this moment, she truly resembles one of the 'People of the Shadows', with not a single movement out of place… It seems as natural as breathing to her; this is no child playing dress-up. The young woman before him is not the demure Princess he knows, but a warrior in her own right. Clearly, Impa has been teaching her quite diligently, with no detail spared.

* * *

><p>The shrine is eerily quiet, devoid of even the chirping of birds. There's a strong sense of tension in the air, as if even the Sanctuary itself is waiting in hushed anticipation. This silence is broken mainly by the heavy thudding of the General's booted feet, Zelda's movements still as quiet as they were outside.<p>

"What is that…?"

Lying on the altar is a thick, well-crafted tome, its cover inscribed with Ancient Hylian letters. A sudden strong wind rushes through the open-air Sanctuary as Zelda approaches the altar, toying with her braid and bangs and making any loose wrappings flutter wildly. The book flips open obligingly, settling on a seemingly random page. One side is taken up by an illustration of the Four Sword Sanctuary itself. The Four Sword is present in the image, casting two long shadows that trail all the way down to the bottom of the page. The painted sky is black with stylized clouds everywhere but directly above the holy blade, where a bright light shines down…

"How strange…"

Curious, Zelda bends down and picks it up, her blue eyes scanning the page opposite the illustration. It is utterly blank except for a single passage.

"Th-this is—!" the princess gasps, startled.

_Courage shall split between the descendants of the Forger. Seek the Blade which is Four and its Shadow when the Ages fall into chaos and Darkness clouds the skies. Faces of old, both Good and Evil, shall appear throughout the land, brought forth by the shifting flow of Time...*_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Wow, the pace IS slower this time. Shadow won't be showing himself until Chapter 3 after all, but this time around more of the things going on 'behind the scenes' simultaneously are explained… The plot is turning out differently than it originally did this time around; sorry if that bothers anyone. I'm just going with what feels right, as well as trying to make some solid references to canon (well, mostly _manga_ canon, since the Four Swords and Minish Cap manga are both considered non-canon in relation to the games on the Zelda Wiki.), too. I want this fanfiction to be _good_, not the usual low-quality stuff that gives fanfiction such a shoddy reputation. Just because I write fanfics, it doesn't mean I'm a crappy writer. Even fanfiction authors should take pride in their work. I want this story to be a _tribute_ to the canon, not a mockery. That's what fanfiction should be in my opinion: a tribute to the original. Umm, sorry, I got a bit heated there, didn't I? On to the explanations.

**The little boy's dream:** The quotes here are a mix of memories (some of them are manga quotes, seeing as I'm trying to make this as closely tied to the 'manga canon' as I can, though sometimes I'll make alterations rather than quote word for word in order to make things work better) and things said in the presence of either the bottle of Shadow's 'sparks', the Dark Mirror, or both. The quotes are purposely arranged in a chaotic manner and follow no chronological order, skipping back and forth in time and mood in the way only the tangled thoughts of a dream can. Why is this mysterious boy dreaming of these things, and what the HECK do those non-manga quote memories mean? Those who've read the version of the original Shadowed Truth on DeviantArt have a bit of an advantage here because that one has a scene like this in either chapter 1 or the prologue (in fact, I initially took the scene straight from that before editing the heck out of it and turning it into what it is now), but I'm not saying anything else about it here. As for the little boy himself, well… You'll just have to guess for yourself, now won't you?

**The reason Shadow is slowly reviving:** Is it his own natural healing process? Or some outside force? I'll be nice and give ya'll a hint: it's actually a mix of the two. Shadow's own inherent power prevented him from fading into nothingness completely, able to do so because his remaining 'essence', so to speak, was being protected and held in one place. The closer together the pieces are, the easier it is for the whole to come together again (kind of like magnetism). As I have hinted via Zelda's Triforce of Wisdom reacting to Shadow's 'sparks', he also has part of the Triforce of Courage with him, which serves as one of the ties keeping him anchored to existence as well as supplying him with energy that's helping him recover. The Four Sword (specifically, its shadow) is another tie, since in the manga, it is mentioned that the "Four Swords are drawn to each other". I figured the same would be true for its shadow. The 'shadow of the Four Sword' I keep referring to would be Shadow's own blade. Shadow is shown multiple times in the manga wielding a blade identical to the Four Sword(s) in all except the pommel stone/gem, which is black. In my mind, I imagine its hilt to be a dark platinum/silver in contrast to the Four Sword's warmer bronze tone, but as there are no official color images portraying Shadow holding his blade, there's no way to know for sure and this is just me taking artistic liberties. Other ties, such as his friendship with the other "Links" and his feelings towards Vio (and Vio's toward him) are also there. There's another major one, too, but that's a spoilerrrr. As for that outside force… part of it is the Triforce of Courage. The rest is _also_ a spoiler. I still want to leave ya'll SOME room for guessing in your reviews, after all, and if I explained EVERYTHING right away there'd be no plot!

**Some info about Zelda's "Sheik" form:** Hey, Sheik's weapons have to come from SOMEWHERE, and considering his/her outfit and the fact that the Sheikah are essentially Hyrule's equivalent of ninjas, it only makes sense that his/her arsenal would be hidden in strategic locations throughout the outfit. In my mind, I can sort of visualize a thin, wide leather bracelet of sorts around the wrist of the dominant hand with raised portions/pouches that the needles are stuck through. Sort of like a combination between a knife's sheath and a piece of fabric through which you line up a set of sewing needles. This fic's Zelda's Sheik garb is a bit different from her Ocarina of Time counterpart's, though. It isn't designed to make her appear as a man, for one (the General just made that assumption when he saw her from a distance), though she did bind her breasts. It makes sense from a warrior's practical standpoint to do so, really. Unless you intend to use your female charms as an advantage in battle (and Zelly is both too young and too dignified to do such a thing), it's better to just keep them out of the way. Her hairstyle and turban layout is also different, with a shorter braid (because her hair is shorter due to her younger age to begin with; OoT's Sheik appears as an adult, whereas this Zelly is still in her early-to-mid teens) which only reaches about halfway down her back and her bangs, rather than being OoT Sheik's 'wings' that cover one eye, take the form of a long 'false sideburn' lock of hair trailing down next to each ear. I'm basing her appearance off of how she looks in the Four Swords manga, and that Zelda's hair is all pulled back except for those two sections.

**The passage in the book:** Don't you just LOVE obscure prophesies? I'm not saying much about this one; I'd rather see what ya'll think it means.

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><p>That's it for chapter 2! Please review, it gives me inspiration. I also love it when people make guesses, etc... I pay attention to my readers, so when they have ideas, guesses, criticism, etc., for me, I do try to respond to it... In fact, it often makes me excited. So... Please review?<p> 


	4. Chapter 3: Reawakening

**AN:** See, this is why I said not to expect daily updates. I wasn't quite sure how to begin this chapter at first, but once I settled on an idea and got started, it was easy to keep going. I am a little disappointed at how few of you are reviewing, though. I check my story traffic, so I know you're there, and yet I've only gotten reviews from two people. I like reader input, people! I encourage guessing, suggestions, criticisms, and even flames (because I don't think I've ever gotten one before and I think it'd be interesting). So please, please, pleeeeaaaase review? I'll never demand a review quota in exchange for uploading the next chapter, as I think that's cruel and will just net me one-word responses anyway, but good, interesting reviews not only get a response from me, but they encourage me to keep writing and to write faster! So it's in your best interests, too, in a way? Well, anyway, enough annoying you with my begging… Sorry if I'm being annoying. Oh, and, even though I doubt anyone cares, this chapter's title is the same as the title of the original Shadowed Truth's Chapter _**One**_. This is Chapter _**Three**_. The plot is already so much more detailed this time around and I've only just 'caught up' to where the original first chapter is in the story's timeline. And you know what? I don't mind that at all. Looking back on it now, the original version feels so rushed compared to this one.

**Quick note about Zelda's Sheikah garb:** I completely forgot to mention this last chapter, sorry! Zelda's cowl/turban is made up of a wider cloth than OoT Sheik's (it's also thinner since the cloth doesn't need to be wrapped around as many times as a result) and the bottom of it drapes loosely around her neck instead of covering her face. She can pull it up over her mouth and nose if need be, but prefers to leave it down most of the time.

Many thanks to: **inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again and **Kankoku-ssi** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: Again, this is fanfiction. I. Don't. Own. LoZ.

Enjoy~!

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><p><span>Chapter 3:<span> Reawakening

"What is the matter, Your Highness?"

"It's nothing," Zelda lies, snapping the book shut and handing it to the taller knight. "It opened to Gufuu's legend by chance, which was somewhat unsettling, but I doubt there is any meaning behind it. Please hang onto this for me… it is time to begin."

The princess in Sheikan garb smoothly brings forth the little glass bottle Vio entrusted her with in this very place a year prior from a hidden pocket and steps around the altar, standing before the broken Dark Mirror. Its covering cloth is nowhere to be seen, leaving her to stare at her own face. The light in the bottle's reflection glows black instead of white, which Zelda fervently hopes is a good sign.

"Goddesses, please…" she whispers, firmly grasping the bottle's cork in one hand.

'_Three… two… one… Pull!'_

*pop!*

The General warily grips the hilt of his sword, tense and alert as the little fairy-like ball of light whizzes out of its glass confines to hover in the air directly in front of the Dark Mirror. It begins to grow, expanding to roughly the size of Zelda's head before being engulfed in a thin shroud of dark mist.

"Your Highness, I suggest you step back…"

"Your concern is appreciated, but I do believe I shall remain here," Zelda replies smoothly.

"But, you could be attacked at any moment—"

"Do you honestly believe I am still the helpless child I used to be, General?" the girl asks wryly, watching intently as the white beams of light peeking through the mist morph to black and the shadowy cloud grows to the size of an average Hylian adult.

"…Wh-what the… heck… is goin' on…?" a weak voice whispers quietly.

'…_This warmth… Why does it… feel__…__ so familiar__…?'_

"Who said that?" the General blurts, startled.

"Shadow Link? Is that you?" Zelda calls.

Black-booted feet emerge from the bottom of the floating cloud, rapidly followed by a pair of legs in white tights as a golden glow bursts out from within the black mist's embrace.

"That golden light…" the General gasps. "The Goddesses' blessing, shining from a being of darkness—how is such a thing even possible?"

Zelda smiles thinly. "Perhaps you should not be so quick to judge, General, and simply leave the past where it rightfully belongs."

A pale young man in a black tunic abruptly drops out of the air and collapses to his knees on Sanctuary floor in front of Zelda, the black mist following him down to curl sluggishly around his trembling body. He's wearing a dark gray belt with a round, golden buckle marked with a spiral and a long-sleeved white shirt beneath the tunic. His trademark curly-tipped black hat defies gravity as always, seeming to wisp away into shadows at the very end.

"Ugh…"

Zelda hurriedly catches the dazed youth as he begins to list over to one side, sighing in relief as she successfully prevents his head from smacking into the hard stone. His dusky violet hair seems a bit longer in the back than it used to be and he's a little taller, his ears slightly thinner and more pointed.

"Welcome back," she greets him softly, gently lowering him to the floor and stepping back to give him some space. "It is good to see you again, Shadow Link."

"That voice… the… Princess…? Why are ya*… helpin'… me…?" Shadow gasps out, eyes closed. He's still shaking, thin ribbons of mist curling protectively around him in a cool, wispy shroud as he lies in a crumpled heap in the shadow cast by the Dark Mirror. His skin is even paler than she remembers, too.

"Your Highness, he looks close to death. I doubt he will be much help in locating my son," the General speaks up. "Regardless of his nature, placing any sort of burden, never mind a weighty one such as this, on such a clearly unwell child is nothing short of cruelty."

"You say that as if I intend to send him on his way without any sort of rest or explanation," Zelda sighs ruefully. "He does have free will, General… Please do not act as if he is some sort of tool."

"…Lo… locate…?" Shadow echoes quietly. "Are ya sayin' he's… missing…?"

"_AHAHAHAHAHAHA! Take this, accursed Her__o!"_

Dulled eyes resembling the dimly glowing coals of a dying campfire snap open wide.

"They were… _screaming_…!" the teen hisses suddenly, gritting his teeth. The thin trails of mist abruptly dissipate as Shadow's eyes blaze back to life, quickly restored to the familiar flaming crimson Zelda is familiar with.

The General grips his sword tightly, put on edge by the sudden show of aggression, but Zelda holds her arm out in a silent order to stay back.

"Please calm down, both of you," she soothes, taking a moment to look at each of them before turning back to crouch before the strange youth slumped on the ground before her. "What do you mean, Shadow Link?"

Guarded red eyes stare up at her for a long moment before Shadow opens his mouth again, his sharp teeth glinting dangerously and his words a strained, hoarse little hiss. "Sheesh, it's… my name, not… some… stuffy title… Drop the "Link" nonsense… already. And besides… ya have… some explaining of your own to do… _Your Highness_… And ya'd better not… leave me in the dark much… longer. By the way… the heck're those clothes…?"

"I do not intend to, Shadow. However, you did not answer my question, and I do believe I am the one who asked first," Zelda retorts smoothly. "As for my clothing, I am dressed in the traditional garb of a Sheikah warrior."

'_A what…?'_

"Hmph…" Shadow huffs, his eyes slipping shut in concentration. His voice is louder now, not just a hoarse whisper, and he seems to be regaining his strength bit by bit at a surprisingly fast rate.

"Ya win, too tired… t' argue with ya right now. It's all… really hazy, but… I remember hearing Green's voice… from far away. He was sayin' something about the Mirror… and a cloth, I think. And then…"

"Tell us what you know of my son, you demon-eyed little brat, or I swear—"

Zelda's angry response dies in her throat as an amused chuckle echoes through the Sanctuary.

"Still a good father, I see," Shadow grins weakly, shakily propping himself up on his elbows and peeking around Zelda to look at the older swordsman. "As I was sayin', everything between when I broke the Mirror and… now is really hazy. All I remember after that is a woman's voice cackling… and yelling "take this, accursed hero!", then…"

He looks down at the floor, having managed to pull himself up into a proper seated position so that he's now leaning against the Dark Mirror without seeming to care about the possibility of cutting himself on the jagged, broken edges of the shattered glass within the frame.

"Then I heard… Four people screaming in pain…"

Zelda reaches forward to place a comforting hand—her right—on the violet-haired teen's shoulder.

"Wha—…!"

The moment Zelda's bandaged fingers make contact, the Triforce mark's golden light blazes brightly, shining right through the cream-colored cloth as if it isn't even there.

The General stares in utter surprise at the identical radiance blazing from the back of Shadow's left hand, struck speechless at the sight of the holy 'birthmark' fading rapidly into view on the teen's pale skin. One fifth of the Triforce of Courage—the sliver closest to the outer edge, to be exact—is glowing gold, denoting its presence in him.

'_Th-that warmth again…!'_

The boy yanks his hand up in front of his face and stares at it before snapping his eyes shut and clutching his head with a groan.

"Nnnngh…"

* * *

><p><em>A blonde boy with pale eyes looks worriedly at him, illuminated only by the light of the moon. "Best friends forever, right?<em>_"_

_He wants to wince at the all-too-familiar phrase, but finds that he can't. He's just a spectator in an unknown body, one that's moving and speaking on its own._

_A laugh rings out in a younger version of his voice, sounding alien—it's too genuine, it can't possibly be him!_

"_Of course we are, Vio! Now hurry up and run, will ya?__"__ the laughing voice reassures the blonde in that same drawl he's used for as long as he can remember, even though Link doesn't have a trace of it._

…_Wait, __**what?**_

_**Vio?**__ Did this him-that's-not-him-because-it-CAN'T-be-him just say __**VIO?**_

_Then again, that boy does look like him, but—Goddesses, what __**is**__ this? It has to be a hallucination. This—this can't be real. He's a shadow, he doesn't have memories! Just faint echoes of Link's and endless days in the Dark World! And Vio is—Vio is…_

_The boy's eyes flash with worry and determination as he opens his mouth to protest._

"_But Shadow, those monsters—!"_

_He feels himself grin, "I'll be fine, trust me! We're both gonna be heroes someday, remember?"_

_His hand raises and moves out in front of him—it's the same three triangles with a sliver of gold that sent him into this—this weird vision… thing__._

"_How could I forget?" the boy chuckles in a tone that's unmistakably Vio's, raising his own hand. He bears much the same mark, save that the sliver of gold is one-fifths inw__ard, just next to where it is on Shadow's own. What __**is**__ this? This doesn't make any sense! He's a shadow… A __**shadow**__, not a… a… A what? He can't remember what he was just thinking… It feels like his head's going to burst._

"_Now get going!" he hears that younger-him voice say, feeling his mouth form the words and his limbs move as pale, dirt-scuffed arms reach out and playfully shove the blonde forward a step. He's almost thankful for the distraction since it eases the pain in his skull, but he's just more confused with each development in this weird dream. Why is he even seeing this nonsense?_

…_Oh. Duh. The triangles… It's that 'Triforce'__* thingy, right? That thing Light-Dwellers worship that's supposed to grant desires… Is it showing him his? To be real… To be friends with Vio… To be a hero… To not have to say goodbye. Yeah, that must be—_

* * *

><p><em>The moment he thinks he's figured it out, everything changes. It's almost like something's<em>_—maybe some__**one**__'s__? — trying to tell him he picked the wrong answer. But Goddesses, why use __**this**__ memory__—__this is a memory._

_That wasn't._

_It wasn't, because it's IMPOSSIBLE._

"_After all…" Vio smirks, hiding the pain in his eyes behind a smug, confident mask__._

_He feels his teeth grinding against each other as his lips curl into a snarl._

"_You're just a __**reflection**__ of us."_

* * *

><p><em>He's looking at himself in the Dark Mirror. There's nothing around him but blackness and all is as he believes a vision should be like. Finally, something that makes sense—<em>

_Farore, he should know better than to jinx things by now, especially in his own head!_

_Who is that? Who the HELL is that grinning boy with dirt all over him in patched-up shorts, a ragged, ripped tunic and nothing else? And why in the name of Farore does he look just like a younger, healthier version of him?_

"_Who are ya__?" he hisses, for once in control of his body in this strange nonsense world he's found himself in__._

"_I'm Shadow, who are ya?" the boy in the mirror echoes innocently in that younger him-but-not-him voice._

"_No, __**I'm**__ Shadow!" he growls back._

"_We're both Shadow, because I'm ya__ and you're me__,"__ the boy replies calmly, unfazed._

_He slams his left hand against the mirror's smooth surface, palm flat. The back of it is mercifully blank, free of those strange triangles that make his head spin__._

"_I am __**not**__ ya!" he yells. "I'm Shadow Link!"_

_The boy in the mirror raises his own left hand, the back facing him. There__'re the triangles and__ that strip of gleaming gold; he swears it's taunting him._

"_Why're ya letting him use ya, lie to ya? Didn't ya say ya'd never break? Or do ya even remember that? Farore, Vio's gonna kill us for being fooled so long.__"_

"_What are ya__ even talking about? And don't ya dare mention Vio! Damn phantom! False reflection! I'm Shadow Link, not some dirt-stained Hylian brat!__"_

_The boy grins and taps his head with his right hand, keeping his left where it is. "The person named "Shadow Link__"__ only exists in here."_

"_Ha! Liar! The light burns, that's proof enough I'm a shadow! Link's shadow!__"_

"_A curse," the boy retorts. "And if you're really his shadow, how come ya didn't already know Zelda wasn't afraid of heights?"_

_How does he know about that? That moment still bugs him because he should've known and he didn't. Does that mean…? No. No, that isn't… That can't…_

"_You're lying…"_

_But… is he? Is he lying? It… It makes so much sense…_

_Faint triangles begin to mark his hand and he stares in shock._

"_Ever wonder why ya said that at Death Mountain? That line that slipped out so naturally it startled ya for a sec?__" the boy asks. He wrenches his gaze away from his hand and red meets red squarely. He feels like he's falling into those eyes…__ Somehow, it's nostalgic, as if he's sinking into a sea of his own memories._

"…_Best friends forever, right…__?" he mumbles dazedly__._

"_What that warmth in your chest was as ya said it? Why your left hand itched?" the boy continues.__ "Why, when ya saw him all alone under that moonlit sky bein' attacked by monsters, ya couldn't just sit and watch? Why ya took care of the ones that were creepin' up on him before those scrubs came through and ya bolted up a tree t' watch an' hide? Why ya wanted him on your side at all when it would've been so much easier t' just kill him right then and there? Why it was so easy to think of betraying Pig-Face if it was with him at your side?"_

_Each question sends a spike of pain through his skull and he can feel something breaking, bit by bit._

"_Shut… shut up… I don't know… I don't know…!"_

"_Yes ya do. Ya know exactly why. You're just scared t' believe it."_

_Ouch, that tone is his all right. He guesses the mirror brat can be harsh after all._

"_But I…"_

"_Fine, I'll answer the first one: because ya care about him," the boy sighs._

_That only spawns more questions, but this time he's asking himself._

_Why does he care so much about Vio?_

_Why did he feel like he couldn't breathe when he saw that Wolfos creeping up on him?_

_Why did he feel like he was dying inside when Vio betrayed him? __Why did he feel so alive when he realized just how much it had hurt Vio to do it, like something inside him was healing?_

_Why did he choose Vio to impersonate in the Palace of Winds? Why did it feel so natural?_

_Why did he feel himself holding on so tightly against the nothingness whenever he heard Vio's voice calling to him in his sleep?_

_Why is he so panicked at the thought of Vio screaming in pain?_

_Why… __Why…_

_He just doesn't understand... Where are these thoughts coming from? He doesn't know the answers, dammit! He doesn't, he knows he doesn't!_

**_He doesn't know._**_ He isn't sure he WANTS to know. His head hurts so much, he just wants it to stop..._

_He isn't... he can't... he doesn't... doesn't..._

Yes ya do,_ the boy in the mirror's words echo in his mind, taunting him._

Ya know exactly why. You're just scared t' believe it.

_He- he is NOT scared, dammit! He'll show that brat, he has to! He won't let some little kid with his face mock him like this, no way in hell!_

_He forces himself to concentrate, to push past the intense pounding in his skull. The answer is in there somewhere, so close he swears he can feel it tugging impatiently at his thoughts like a frustrated child desparately begging for attention._

_Suddenly, as abruptly as flipping a switch, he has it. He knows the answer. He's known it all along._

_**Because they're best friends. **__Even when_ _he_ _didn't remember, something deep down did. He didn't break their promise after all..._

_"Well?" the boy asks. "What's the answer? Why'd ya say what ya did at Death Mountain?"_

_He meets the kid in the mirror's eyes squarely and begins to speak, holding stubbornly onto the truth he's found so the pain in his head can't rip it away. A little voice in his head is screaming at him, he has to say it, has to get it out, has to say it RIGHT NOW or it'll fade away and Goddesses dammit he **does NOT want to forget again!**_

_"_…_Because… part of me… saw him and… __**knew**," he whispers, each word giving him more confidence, strengthening his hold on that precious truth.__"Part of me… wanted to make him smile__… because__ I__… …I…__!__"_

_By Farore, he kept their promise deep down all this time, he will NOT break it now! He won't forget, he won't LET himself forget! Never again!_

_The pain in his head spikes and he feels something shatter. He's free._

_The pain is gone._

_The haze in his mind is gone._

_The fake past—years of growing up in the Dark World that never happened, fake memories of Link's childhood, everything he thought was him— is gone, gone, __**gone**__._

_He __**remembers**__. He remembers everything. All of it. And he's not scared at all. Hell, he's practically giddy. He's finally, finally **himself** again, and it feels so good he can't find any words to describe it._

_He grins conspiratorially at the boy in the mirror. "Damn, I was **short** back then."_

_The boy laughs. "So many cool things ya could've said, and THAT'S the first thought that comes t' mind? How corny can ya get, me?"_

_He grimaces. "Cut that out, gettin' laughed at by myself is creepy!"_

_"So ya finally admit it... Took ya long enough, Shadow."_

"_Same to ya, ya idiot. Remind me why rushing into that group of monsters that burned our orphanage down armed with nothing but a dagger was a good idea, again?"_

_A shrug. "Seemed like a damn good one at the time."_

"…_Yeah, it did, didn't it."_

_The boy in the mirror—__**his younger self**__—grins widely, sharp little canines showing. Goddesses, he wonders who and what his parents could possibly be__ for him to look like he does—where did THAT thought come from? Oh, right… Because…_

_That curse… doesn't have any power over him any more…_

"_My name is…" little-Shadow begins softly, at last mimicking his pose like a proper reflection should._

_The Triforce shines brightly on his hand, its warmth spreading through him without resistance at last as he finally accepts it; accepts the truth that's been lost to him for so long._

"_My name is…"_

* * *

><p>"…Sh…ad…ow… Ka…ri…k…o*…" the violet-haired boy murmurs, eliciting a surprised gasp from Zelda as his eyes roll back in his head.<p>

She hurriedly pulls him around to the other side of the altar after his head starts tilting back towards a jagged-edged hole in the broken Mirror, laying him down as gently as she can. The sickly pallor is gone from his pale skin, the Triforce mark on his hand clear and distinct.

"Wh-what just…?" Zelda stammers, backing away from the unconscious teen. Her mind is whirling.

'_Kariko… That sounds a lot like Kakariko. Impa used to tell me stories about her ancestor who lived in a town called that… a Sheikah town__. Could Shadow be descended from a descendant of the Sheikah as well as an ancient hero's bloodline? That book… it did say 'descendants of the Forger'… But the forger of what? The Four Sword? The Four Sword and its shadow… Shadow is here, but he's unarmed, so where…?__'_

The General coughs politely.

"Hmm?"

"Your Highness… Look at the mirror," the General says, nodding his head towards it.

The Four Sword's empty pedestal's reflection in the Dark Mirror isn't empty. In it rests a familiar, monochrome blade with a dark silver-platinum hilt instead of bronze and a pitch black pommel stone.

"It appears the Four Sword's shadow has been right before us all along…"

"Indeed it does, General. Now we need only wait for him to wake."

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>You are certain he will arrive shortly?"<strong>_

"Y-yep, Mister Black-Wings! M-Mama said the p-p-princess would make sure he w-woke up, then once the curse b-broke, he'd be up here s-soon—OH!"

_He feels so warm as the name slips easily across his lips, his shattered identity whole again as it settles back into place..._

"_**What has happened, child?"**_

A wide grin stretches across the little boy's face.

"It's b-broken~! It's broken~!" he cheers, twirling around in excited circles before collapsing onto his cot with a content sigh.

"_**Hihi… I am happy for you. Now, let us only hope he shall be willing to lend his aid…"**_

"Why n-not just hide and t-tell him after, th-though?"

"_**It is too risky… He will have no reason to lend his aid to a 'lifeless' lump of stone. …If he shall be arriving soon, should you not be preparing?"**_

"Oh, whoopsie! Y-yeah, I gotta g-go wait for h-him! See ya l-later, Mister B-Black-Wings~!"

The boy runs off.

"_**My… he is so very energetic…"**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Ahahahaha! Didn't see that coming did you? I did make Shadow pass out again, though. He sorta just shut down to give his overwhelmed mind time to readjust to the return of his real memories. Next chapter, he'll finally get going and ON WITH THE PLOT! Which is going to diverge even more… Anyone guess where he's headed yet? By the way, more manga references! Can you spot them all? The sections in italics are going on in Shadow's mind, just to be clear. Little-Shadow is a cheeky little thing, ain't he?

**Shadow's speech quirk:** I happen to like the fact that Shadow says "ya'll" in the online scanlation of the Four Swords manga, which is the first version of the manga I read. As a result, my fic's Shadow has been given a… it's not really an accent… Umm, sort of a dialect, I guess? I think you understand what I mean, anyway… All derivatives of "you" except "your/you're" are instead "ya" for him and he shortens some -ing suffixes to -in', though I don't think I'll do that one too often. I don't intend to make him sound like an all-out country hick, just make his speaking style more casual and 'rough around the edges'. He also replaces to with t' sometimes, though his younger self seems to do it the most often. Zelda, on the other hand, being both a girl and a princess, tends to speak more formally (I try to loosen her up a bit when the situation allows it, of course) and doesn't abbreviate words as often as the Links. I try and give her a dignified vocabulary in general, really. I haven't decided whether to make her loosen up more when in 'Sheik' mode or not…

**Shadow recognizing the Triforce:** The desires part refers to "A Link to the Past" in which many people greedily searched for it to make their desires a reality. As for him knowing what it is, I figured something like that would work…

**Shadow Kariko:** This is my fic's Shadow's real name. To be specific, his name is technically "Sha Kariko". He was left at an orphanage as a baby with a worn blanket wrapped around him with his name embroidered along one side. It had a hole in it and the embroidery was sloppy to begin with, leaving only his last name and the first three letters of his first name readable, and so Shadow chose his own name when he was older. Him willingly choosing a name like that creeped people out, though. Perhaps his name was supposed to be Shawn? Lol.

* * *

><p>Well, that's all for Chapter Three. Please review, I'd really appreciate it.<p> 


	5. Chapter 4: The Boy in White

**AN:** Wheeee! Go, me, go! I'm still on my rolllll! The next chapter after this will probably be coming soon—I only cut this one off where I did because I'm nearly at 4,000 words already without including my author's notes at the top and bottom, really, and don't feel like stopping just yet. I'm also excited because my beloved little OC's debut has arrived at last—he's going to be an active participant from day one (uh, literally?) this time around. And no, I'm not telling you who the two people talking in the first part of this are. You'll find out next chapter anyway if you haven't guessed it already.

Many thanks to:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: Just look at the prologue. I'm sick of repeating it over and over…

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 4:<span> The Boy in White

Ragged black bat wings fold docilely around whatever object they hide from view, fully materialized while their owner waits for the boy to return. A yellow rod whose tip spirals like an exaggerated candy cane lies on the small cot standing against one wall of the chamber, forgotten in the child's rush to prepare for a certain individual's arrival.

-**_Soon, you shall open your eyes… Are you prepared for that, little one?-_**

-…_As ready as I can be… Sorry, I'm still trying to wrap my mind around… you know… as is…-_

_**-Anyone would be shaken by such news. There is no need to apologize for a natural reaction such as that.-**_

-…_Thanks for protecting me for all this time…-_

-**_I am sorry. It is my fault you are like this at all.-_**

-…_Stop that… You couldn't help being born as much as I could…-_

-**_That does not change the fact that—-_**

-…_It's what we do with our life that counts… He taught me that, you know…-_

_**-Hihi… You are right. Speaking of heroes, I do hope he agrees to help you.-**_

-…_He will… That's what heroes do…-_

_**-I know, little one, I know. That is exactly what I am worried about.-**_

* * *

><p>Zelda is sitting quietly, leaning against the column with the purple relic atop it while browsing through the mysterious book. The General has opted to stand, examining the ivy-covered back wall with some interest while avoiding the Dark Mirror.<p>

"Hmm… It looks almost as if there used to be some kind of door here*," he muses, one gauntleted hand trailing just shy of the edge of the Dark Mirror's frame as he traces the path of carved insets that make a doorway-shaped arc in the ancient wall. "And yet, behind these stones lie only grassland…"

Red eyes flicker open and blink blearily up at the puffy white clouds drifting by overhead. Shadow sits up with a groan, pulling himself to his feet and stretching. His neck cracks with an audible pop that makes Zelda wince.

"Ow… Sleepin' on the floor sure does wonders for the back," he mutters sarcastically. "...HUH?"

The angle of the sun has changed with the passage of the hour Shadow spent unconscious, allowing more light into the shrine. The back wall's shadow isn't stretching over the entirety of the floor now, leaving the black-clad teen in direct sunlight. He stares at his hands in awe, flipping them over a few times to ensure they're really there and in one piece as the warm sunlight bathes his pale skin harmlessly.

"Farore, I really am free…"

"Did you rest well, Shadow?" Zelda asks politely.

He shrugs. "Aside from the sore back and the crick in my neck, yeah, I guess I did. Ya look ready to explode with questions for me… Go ahead, shoot. Just be ready to answer some of mine when you're done, Princess, because trust me, I've got plenty."

"Watch your mouth!" the General scolds, looming over the currently unarmed(?) youth with a hand on his sword in what he hopes creates an intimidating image. "You are speaking to the Princess, boy, not some commoner!"

"Chill out, old man, it's not like I'm callin' her by name or something. Green's the childhood friend, not me."

"Why you…! How can you be so… so nonchalant about all this?"

Another shrug. "What choice do I have? All I know about what's going on is a handful of far-away voices sayin' things while I was asleep, so getting all worked up before I even know anything seems kinda pointless t' me… I don't even know how long it's been since I broke the Mirror."

An amused giggle breaks the tension—Zelda. "My, General, you sound like you did during my and Green's first play-date when you scolded him for calling me "Seldy"! Heehee…"

"…A-ahem," he coughs sheepishly, looking away as he retreats to the princess's side.

"Heheh!" Shadow laughs, shocking himself with the sound—it's the same genuine laugh his younger self made, not the hysterical peals or sarcastic chuckles he's used to making.

"Now, Shadow, I do have some questions for you… You uttered a name before you fell unconscious," Zelda begins primly; ready to get down to business. "Whose name was that?"

He raises an eyebrow. "Mine. Who else's would it be, some random kid's?"

"General, your son's name is…?"

"…Green Hylia*, also known as Link," he answers after a long moment, staring ashamedly at his armored boots.

Shadow blinks. "What's your point, ya two? My name's Shadow Kariko. What does it matter what Green's name is?"

"How is it that a shadow bears a separate last name?"

"Maybe I made it up," he snarks, rolling his eyes. "Just kidding, by the way. Glad ya finally got to the important one."

He turns, walking over to the Four Sword's pedestal and looking at the reflection of his own blade in the Dark Mirror.

"I'm not a shadow."

"What?" Link's father blurts, startled. Zelda doesn't look very surprised at all.

"Are ya deaf or just surprised? I'm not a shadow, simple as that," the red-eyed teen drawls amusedly, turning back to face the people he's talking to. "I think our Triforce pieces reacting t' each other broke the curse that was on me somehow. After all, "Wisdom" is knowledge of the truth, right?"

She smiles. "Yes, I believe that defines it well for this situation. Time is short and I need to return to the castle soon, so I shall save my questions for a later date. You must have many of your own to ask."

Sharp canines glint in the late morning light as Shadow grins. "Good."

He immediately switches to rapid-fire, shooting off question after question and picking up again the moment Zelda finishes each answer, sometimes interspersed with a question of her own. The General looks back and forth between the two, barely managing to follow the conversation.

"Why're ya wearin' Sheikah clothes anyhow? You're no ninja."

"So you do know of them? My nurse and bodyguard, Impa, is a Sheikah and has been training me."

"V—a friend of mine thought I might be related to them after he read something about them in a book. How long have I been asleep an' who's been taking care of me all this time?"

"One year and a half, today is the anniversary as agreed between myself and Green. It took six months to rebuild and eliminate a majority of the monsters plaguing the land. During that time, the bottle containing the sparks of light you became was in Vio's possession. One year ago, he entrusted that bottle to me for safekeeping when they returned the sword."

"They really are missing, aren't they? What do ya mean by agreed?"

"Yes, they are. Green and I made a deal before he left to investigate an increase in monster sightings and the prophetic dreams I had been plagued with. That was one month ago. He promised to return to the castle within a month. If he did not return by then, I was free to search for him after returning the bottle to the Four Sword Sanctuary."

"So ya want my help looking. What makes ya think I can find 'em?"

"One, the Four Sword calls to its pieces, and I assume the same must be true for its shadow. Two, you are capable of searching for them with the Dark Mirror. Though it is broken—"

"Ya figured I'd know how t' fix it, or at least be able to get it to work once or twice. Are ya gonna be coming with me?"

"Though I wish to, it will still take some time for me to convince Father to allow me to officially leave the castle. I snuck out last night. He is not even aware of my Sheikah training; the only ones who know are Impa, myself, Green and General Hylia here."

"Okay, just one more. Were ya using your light magic stuff on me while I was asleep?"

"Err, no? Why would you ask that?"

"Huh? If ya weren't the one doing it, then…?"

The questions grind to a halt as Shadow stares at his left hand—it seems to be becoming a habit—, lost in thought.

"Shadow, why did you ask me if I'd been using magic of some kind on you?" Zelda presses gently. "Is something wrong?"

"…Forget it, Princess. I'll figure it out on my own."

'_Whenever I was weak and fading away, that little light appeared and pulled me back up and wouldn't leave until those distant voices caught hold of me again. Even after I felt myself starting to drift up out of that darkness and the voices started getting clearer, that light stayed close by like it was cheering me on. It was a person, I know it was. Someone was helping me! But if it wasn't Zelda, then who…?'*_

Shadow turns away and wraps his hands around seemingly empty air.

"Don't worry about Ganondork, by the way. I get the feeling it'll take that bastard at least a century or two t' get enough strength back to break the seal on 'im," the dark-haired teen quips nonchalantly as his monochrome blade readily materializes in the Four Sword's slot.

"Time for the shadow t' lead the way again!" he laughs as the sword slides out smoothly. He points it skyward out of habit and reaches up with his right hand to catch the sheathe that materializes in the air above him. Strapping it to his belt and sheathing the shadow of the Four Sword without much fuss, Shadow then steps over to stand before the Dark Mirror.

"Your Highness, are you certain this is wise…?" the General asks uncertainly, feeling uneasy.

"Yes, General, I am. I trust him."

Shadow takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as he reaches forward to touch the mirror, carefully avoiding the jagged edges and holes. Faint ripples spread out from his fingers as he channels his own power into the glass, mending it into one incomplete piece—the holes are still there.

"That should be… enough…" he pants quietly, drained by the effort. "Damn, didn't expect it t' take that much..."

The General watches warily as Shadow beckons him and Zelda forward to watch, his left hand flat against the now-smooth glass.

"Dark Mirror… Show me the Heroes of the Four Sword," the black-clad youth commands.

His reflection disappears for a moment, then reappears, staring back at him.

"Ugh, can't ya tell when I'm not in the mood to fool around? Not me! The others!"

Zelda and the General exchange bemused glances.

'_He's speaking to it as if it's a person…'*_

The Mirror goes blank before showing Shadow pointing his sword skyward and he sighs. "Not enough power to, huh… Ya want me to use the Sword t' find them? Fine, I'll do that in a minute. First, though, can ya at least show me what happened when they were here? Good, I'll step back so we can all see."

He backs up so all three of them have a clear view of the Mirror's surface.

It shows a tan, coarse cloth being pulled off and Green's face looking in. He walks around the altar to face the Mirror and places his hands around the Four Sword's hilt. A shadowy figure comes into view behind him—it's too blurry to make out—as he points the holy blade skyward. Its holy light surrounds him and three familiar silhouettes begin to appear at his side as the figure draws closer. A blast of energy that is most definitely _NOT_ holy in any way engulfs the four boys and their faces contort in pain as the Mirror goes blank. The red-eyed hero watching can't help but notice that one of the four figures has his gaze locked on the Mirror the entire time once he appears—on _him _—and a feral growl escapes his throat.

"Oh, Goddesses…" Zelda whispers, covering her mouth with both hands.

Shadow's fist slams into the wall next to the Mirror.

"That bastard will _pay_…" he hisses.

"Dark Mirror, _please!_ Show me the one that did this!" he pleads. "If ya can't help me find them, at least do this much, I'm begging ya!"

Black 'light' radiates from the incomplete mirror as a tall, thin figure appears, badly blurred and nothing more than a silhouette. The image sharpens to something that seems feminine—

A distinctly female cackle echoes through the Sanctuary, coming from the Mirror. _"So, a little bug is trying to spy on me, hmm? Learn your place, worm!"_

**CRACK!**

"Ah!"

The General quickly steps in front of Zelda, shield raised as the Mirror shatters into countless sharp fragments that explode violently out of their frame, the accompanying blast of energy sending Shadow tumbling.

"Ugh… Whoever this bitch is, she _knew_ she was bein' watched!" the frustrated hero growls. "How in the names of Farore, Nayru, and Din did she smash the Mirror with magic alone?"

"Th-that was… shocking…" Zelda murmurs, somewhat shaken.

"Are ya'll all right? Did any pieces cut ya?"

"I-I am fine…"

"No, none of the fragments were able to get through my armor."

"That's a relief—huh?"

The Mirror's frame is glowing along with each tiny, shattered piece. They quickly fuse together into a shapeless black blob floating in front of the Mirror's startled 'master'.

"…Ya still wanna stick with me, huh? Even after I hurt ya once and got ya broken even worse… Thanks," Shadow grins, reaching into the mass of concentrated dark magic with his right hand.

His fingers close around a leather handle and he pulls his arm back, revealing a shield lined with the same dark silver-platinum-colored metal as the hilt of his sword. The surface of the shield is a reflective black material—it looks just like the Dark Mirror's glass. The shield itself radiates a sense of shadow magic as well, though it's faint, seeming dormant. Shadow curiously taps the shield's surface with a pale knuckle, faintly surprised at the metallic ring it evokes.

"Not glass after all, huh… Good, that means you're sturdier than ya were."

"The Mirror became a shield?" the General speaks up, confused. "How…?"

"The Dark Mirror Shield…" Zelda muses. "I wonder what it does."

"Isn't that a bit of a corny name?" Shadow sighs. "What gives ya the right t' name my shield anyway? You're right that the Mirror turned into it, though."

"Oh, and you think you can come up with a better name?" the princess quips innocently.

"Erk!"

"I thought as much."

"Hahahaha!" the General laughs. "F-forgive me… My, it seems you are more like my son than I realized… Haha…"

"…You're weird, old man."

"Shadow, don't be rude!"

"Princess, no offense, but I'm an orphan kid who thought he was a shadow for most of his life. I think I have the right to tease Green's old man a bit," Shadow replies with a roll of his eyes.

"Now, on to business!" he cries with exaggerated briskness, beaming widely. "I don't think Ganny could've drained too much Force in just one year, so it should work fine as is…"

He unsheathes his blade and points it skyward, his features settling into a serious, solemn look.

"O Shadow of the Four Sword, dark half of the holy blade that binds the five heroes together! Show me the path I must take!"

The red-eyed teen yelps in surprise as the now-glowing blade tugs upwards and the four relics resting on their columns begin to shine.

"Wh-what is happening?" Zelda calls over the rising wind, startled.

"I-I dunno! It's like I activated somethin' somehow!"

"WAAAAAAAAAAH!" two voices yell as a bright pillar of light engulfs the shrine and the wind reaches its peak.

"…Well, I had best begin rehearsing what I shall tell His Majesty," the General sighs, left alone in the now-quiet shrine.

"Let me see, it would be best if I did not mention the boy, knowledge of his involvement would only cause a panic at this point… It is fortunate those glass shards made me look worse for wear. I shall claim she ran off claiming to be off to rescue my son and managed to evade my attempts to bring her home…"

* * *

><p>"Oof!"<p>

"Oh my…!"

Shadow and Zelda sprawl next to each other on the smooth stone floor of an all-too-familiar pavilion, a brisk breeze flowing past. The chair the princess once sat in and Shadow tossed at the Dark Mirror to break it lays on its side where it fell, dusty and neglected.

"This place… The Palace of Winds? I thought the passage had been sealed by the Maidens," Zelda muses aloud, picking herself up.

"Ugh," Shadow grunts in disgust, shivering in spite of himself as he brushes himself off and fixes his hat. "We're on top of Sky-Tall Tower, right where the Dark Mirror used to be. Why here of all places…?"

"Heehee~!" a child's voice giggles.

Zelda throws a needle on reflex and the voice yelps a quick 'eep!' before light footsteps scramble away from them, pattering down the steps leading down into the tower proper.

"…Oops."

"Damn, I didn't know ya were _that_ feisty, Your Highness," Shadow quips. "Now that Green's old man isn't here, is it alright if I just call ya Zelda? It's quicker."

"Of course, Shadow. And it was a reflex… Impa has trained me very well, and when I am in this guise, it comes a bit… _too_ naturally at times," the blonde princess-turned-warrior explains sheepishly.

He jerks his head towards the stairs, noting that, rather than fading away, the footsteps have stopped completely. "Well, sounds like whoever ya just scared off is waiting for us t' catch up for some reason… Ya may think you're tough after all this training you've done, but listen, Zelda. This may be a trap, and we may be fighting some big, nasty creature soon. Be careful."

"I know, Shadow. You had best take care yourself. Let us give chase…"

* * *

><p>"Heehee~! Too s-slow!" he calls cheerfully over his shoulder as he sprints along the labyrinthine corridors of Gufuu's private, personal wing of Sky-Tall Tower, the halls cobwebbed and neglected as his boots raise little puffs of dust from the plush red carpets.<p>

'_Th-that was scary… I didn't think the Princess would be here, too! Or throw needles at me, either! She feels like the Princess, anyway, even if she doesn't have a crown or pretty dress… That blue suit is cool! Like the guy in the Legend Auntie was reading to me about the Hero of Time… Oh well, I'd better focus on running! Gotta lead them to Mister Black-Wings! I hope he isn't mad I brought the Princess, too…'_

* * *

><p>Shadow and Zelda chase the fleeing voice down the steps and inside the tower, following it through the inner halls.<p>

"Wait!" Shadow calls, jolting to a stop. "This is the entrance to Gufuu's private wing!"

"Is that… a problem?" Zelda asks, taking advantage of the moment to catch her breath.

"No, not exactly… It's just that I've never been in here. I don't think he ever allowed servants in to clean, or even GANNY," the red-eyed boy explains. "We've been goin' through safe hallways so far, but there may be traps up ahead…"

"We'll deal with that when we get there—look!"

A glimpse of white cloth disappears around a corner, accompanied by yet another giggle.

"Farore, how long is this mystery kid gonna run for?" Shadow complains.

"Well, there is only one way to know for certain, is there not?" Zelda sighs.

"Yeah, I know… Come on, let's keep going."

* * *

><p>The unlikely teammates stop before a massive set of double doors. One of the two is pushed halfway inwards and sunlight spills out through it.<p>

"D-do you think this could be…?" Zelda gasps, out of breath.

"Gufuu's room? Yeah, I think it is," Shadow answers. "Why would anyone want to bring us here, though?"

There's no sign of the mysterious, childish voice that led them here, not even a single muffled footstep.

"Perhaps we should… look inside…?"

"Yeah, sounds like a plan—"

"Y-y-you'r-re finally heeeeeeeeeeeere~!"

They whirl around at the sudden voice accompanied by running footsteps. Shadow freezes in shock as a small white blur launches itself at him with an excited squeal that reminds him of Red.

"Wh-what the…!" the violetette yelps as the little living canonball slams into him, sending him tumbling to the carpeted floor as it wraps its arms around his waist in an enthusiastic hug.

Zelda takes a startled step back, nervously fiddling with a throwing needle for a moment as she finally gets a proper look at the individual who has been leading her and Shadow through the Palace of Winds. It's a young boy, looking to be about seven or so.

"It truly is a child…" she murmurs, slipping the needle back into place around her wrist.

"I've b-been wait-ting sooo l-long to finally m-meet you, Big Brother!" the little boy trills as Shadow pulls himself and the kid up off the dusty carpet, shocking the red-eyed hero into silence as he finally gets a good look at his 'attacker'.

"Big brother…?" Zelda echoes, surprised.

Wide eyes colored an exotic rose-pink tinged with a hint of lavender shine brightly in the boy's face, his skin pale but not quite as light as Shadow's. His hair is white at the roots, fading to lavender at the tips, and its style is a wavy-curly, thicker version of Shadow's own, false 'sideburns' and all.

All in all, the boy's outfit seems to be a childish adaptation of the "Hero's" tunic, with gray capri-length pants instead of tights and no visible undershirt. He's wearing a white hat with a curling, gravity-defying tip, just like Shadow's in all but color, and his tunic is white with baggy elbow-length sleeves and a dark grey edging around the collar. The belt looped around his waist is the same design as Shadow's, too, the soft leather dyed a pale gray instead of brown. The boy's boots are white like his hat and tunic and he has fingerless gray gloves on his hands. In addition, a white-painted wooden shield is strapped to his back, marked with Farore's symbol* in green paint.

"Who are ya?" Shadow finally manages to ask, his voice shaking. "Why do ya look like me? Why are ya calling me your brother?"

The little boy in white giggles cheerfully.

"B-because you _are_ my b-big brother!" he trills. "D-don't you r-rem-member the wish you m-made on t-top of this tower~?"

Shadow's eyes widen.

'_The light that called to me during my long sleep… It was him. It's __**him**__! Th-this kid is…!'_

"Mama s-says I'm a p-person, but really, it's m-more _what _I am th-than who," the boy says solemnly. "Th-the _wish to become light_…"

Zelda gasps. Shadow, on the other hand, seems frozen in place, not even blinking.

"I'm the White Link, the l-little light born-n from a lonely sh-shadow. My n-name is…"

"Wish~!" he declares loudly, cheerfully dashing around the stunned Hylians and into the room beyond. "Wish Kariko*!"

"Come oooon, M-Mister Black-Wings is w-waiting!" the boy—Wish—calls from inside, snapping Zelda and Shadow out of their stupor.

"Shadow, that child…"

"Later," he interrupts quickly. "I feel like I'll pass out if I think about it too much right now… Anyway, I'm more worried about this 'Mister Black-Wings'."

"Why? It seems like some sort of nickname," the princess says.

Shadow sighs, feeling like he's dealing with a small child. "Who do we know that has black wings, Zelda?"

He can practically hear the click as the girl puts two and two together. "…Oh."

"Seems like trouble, don't ya think?"

She shrugs. "I do not sense any evil… Perhaps he has a pet blackbird."

"I guess we'll just have t' find out…"

Shadow slips through the half-open door first, followed by Zelda.

"Y-ya have GOT to be kidding me!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Ahahaha, fail-cliffy! Like I said, I cut this chapter off here because it's really long already. My chapters aren't usually this massive and I don't want to overwhelm anyone. Hope you enjoyed it, and looking forward to some feedback… *hint-hint* Anyway, explanation time!

**Door in the Sanctuary:** This is a direct reference to the Minish Cap and the doorway that opens up leading to the room with the stained glass murals. Like the entrance to the Four Sword Sanctuary itself was in the Minish Cap (well, it was the Elemental Sanctuary back then), this doorway is a portal and can only be opened in a certain way by certain people. It leads to a bigger version of the MC game's mural room (there are more murals from different legends in it now) and also contains the portal to the Minish world. It is in a space between dimensions and the only way in is through the portal in the Four Sword Sanctuary.

**Green "Link" Hylia:** This is Green's full name in my fic. I decided to go with the fanon last name for Link to indicate that Green is descended from the main 'branch' of the Hero's bloodline.

**The light calling Shadow:** Remember that outside force I mentioned that was pulling Shadow back towards existence? This is it. It had to support him very often at first, since he was extremely weakened then, and even stuck close by to comfort him after he heard his friends' screams. This 'light' is in fact Wish. See the bonus chapter for more details.

**About the Dark Mirror and the Dark Mirror Shield:** No, Shadow isn't crazy. In the manga, he activates the 'all-seeing-eye' function of the Mirror simply by placing his hand on it, but I decided to have him do so here, but take it a step further and make it a verbal exchange instead of a mental one—in fact, he's speaking aloud for Zelda and the General's benefit. It seems like a one-sided conversation between Shadow and an inanimate object to onlookers, but he's actually talking to the spirit of the mirror itself (like the Magic Mirror in Snow White and Fi from Skyward Sword). The Dark Mirror is a 'fountain of dark magic', so why _wouldn't_ it be powerful enough to change its form? Its nature as a dark conduit also facilitates the existence of a spirit—someone needs to manage the flow of energy, after all. The shield still has the spirit, too, and I've decided that sometimes it'll show him things just like it did as a mirror, though its powers are severely weakened from being shattered twice. As for the Dark Mirror's initial appearance, it looks like it does in the Four Swords manga. In my mind, its frame is a dark silver-platinum metal, the same as I imagine the metal of Shadow's sword's hilt to look. Yay monochrome!

**Wish's shield:** It's basically a Deku Shield. The symbol on it is the same as the one on Farore's Pearl in Wind Waker. I have a picture of it on DA, but it's part of a larger image that is sort of spoiler-ish, so I'm not sure if I should post it on my profile… Should I? If I do, I'll just post a link to my Shadowed Truth gallery folder on there…

**Wish Kariko:** Wish shares Shadow's last name. I was toying with the idea of making Wish's last name Shadow's backwards, but once I decided on giving Shadow the surname "Kariko", I scrapped that idea. Okirak just… it sounds like something Native American, not Hylian... I don't like it. So, Wish Kariko he is and shall stay! By the way, readers of the original will notice the lack of baby-talk… I decided to scrap that because, hey, he appears to be seven or eight years old even though he's actually one and a half, but keep his slight stutter. I just recently decided to give him gloves… I doubt I'll ever draw them, though, because I can barely draw hands to begin with. Has anyone managed to guess who his "Mama" and "Aunties" are?

* * *

><p><strong>EDIT 0926/2012:** Just revamped my description of Wish's appearance to match how I draw him now and played with some little grammar things and word choices, including adjusting Wish's stutter a bit... Nothing too major, but I figured I'd actually let people know I edited something for once. ;)

Well, that's it for Chapter Four… Please review!


	6. Chapter 5: An Unexpected Reunion

**AN:** …Oops. I forgot to mention something again. The reason Green's dad wasn't warped to the Palace of Winds is because he doesn't have any magic of his own. Anyway, on with the fic!

Many thanks to:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 5:<span> An Unexpected Reunion

"Y-ya have GOT to be kidding me!" Shadow yells. "How are ya even alive? They said ya disappeared!"

Two pairs of wings—the top set larger than the bottom—wrap snugly around some hidden object standing quietly in the center of the chamber, bathed in sunlight from above. A large nest, presumably where Gufuu would sleep, takes up the entirety of one corner while a small cot lies off to one side. The little boy who introduced himself as Wish is sitting on said bed, bouncing a little and happily humming a little tune. An odd-looking yellow rod* sits on the bed beside him next to a brown rock the size of a large plum. The room is otherwise empty and has no roof, the top of its walls marked with a ring of runes to keep out unwanted weather.

"Shadow, I sense someone else's presence," Zelda warns. "He may have a hostage…"

'_This makes no sense. That innocent child is sitting there in the same room as a demon as if nothing is wrong! What is going on here?'_

"Oy, answer me, ya stupid flying eyeball!" the red-eyed teen taunts, advancing towards the wings with his sword drawn.

One large bat wing idly unfurls and flaps once, unleashing a gust of wind that sends Shadow tumbling backwards.

"_**Do you mind?"**_ a deep, smooth male voice sighs, the sound echoing in the large room. _**"You are being quite rude, barging into my bedchamber and drawing your blade without provocation…"**_

"Wh-who said that!"

"_**Long time no see, Shadow of the Heroes. Are you truly so surprised to hear the voice of a man rather than a monster?"**_

"You… you _are_ Gufuu, are you not?" Zelda asks uncertainly.

"_**Of course I am."**_

"Jerk…!" Shadow grumbles, picking himself up off the floor. "Quit speaking in riddles!"

Wish giggles, hopping off of the cot and ambling over to the wings. "Y-you don't need t-to be so nervous, you know… just sh-show them!"

"_**I know you mean well towards us, child, but I cannot say the same for your 'brother' or the princess. Until I am certain he shall be safe, nothing you say or do shall convince me to relax my defense."**_

"I beg to differ," Zelda says coolly. "I highly suggest you drop the civil act and reveal what you're hiding, foul demon of the winds."

Wish yelps and scrambles back to his cot, hiding under the covers with a little whimper. "D-don't h-h-hurt Mister B-b-black Wings!"

Three needles are embedded in one of Gufuu's black wings in a neat line and the blonde 'Sheikah' has another set ready to be thrown, calmly displaying the glinting weapons held expertly between her fingers.

"_**Hmph. And I thought the shadow brat was rude… Worry not, child, these little pinpricks are harmless."**_

"Hey! I'm not a brat, ugly!"

"_**Oh? I assure you, you certainly act like one."**_

"Enough of this," Zelda snaps. "Reveal what you are concealing or I shall seal you away myself! You're certainly weak enough—"

A sudden wind knocks the girl off her feet and nearly sends her right back out of the room through the half-open door.

"_**Stop that!"**_ Gufuu's strangely human voice scolds._** "You are the one in need of protection now, not I. Furthermore, you are in no condition to—how in the name of Din did you even DO that?"**_

The demon lets out a loud huff a few seconds later and his wings rustle in agitation.

"_**No, I will NOT. Not yet. They will not discriminate, they do not know of you. I doubt the sword will harm a close friend of its forger, but other methods will! Do not be so reckless! Even if she did attempt it, it would fail regardless. Calm down!"**_

"Ouch…" Zelda mumbles, smiling thinly at Shadow in thanks as he helps her up. "What are you talking about, demon? Have you gone truly mad at last?"

A faint giggle escapes from under the covers and Wish pokes his head out. Shadow stares at him and raises an eyebrow.

"Ya know something we don't, don't ya?"

"M-maaaaybeee?"

"More like definitely… Why the heck are ya so comfortable around the eyeball anyhow?"

"B-because he's nice!"

Shadow sweat drops. _'Goddesses, it's another Red, but WORSE… Now I know how Blue feels.'_

"Umm, why d-do you keep calling Mister Black-Wings an eyeball, th-though?"

"Because he's a flying eyeball," the red-eyed teen deadpans.

"H-he is? Mister B-Black-Wings, y-you're an eyeball?" Wish asks curiously.

"_**Err… The form I once took could be described as such, but even so a more accurate description would be that I was a one-eyed creature somewhat reminiscent of a Keese*."**_

"Th-those squeaky th-things?"

"_**Yes, them."**_

Zelda sighs. "Gufuu, why did your hostage assault me with magic?"

"Wha? The other person ya sensed did that?" Shadow asks, surprised.

"Yes. It seems we are dealing with two wind users, not one…"

"Seriously? There weren't any Wizzrobes* under the eyeball's command that specialized in it."

"_**For your information, he is not a Wizzrobe. He is quite insulted that you would mistake his powers for 'the half-baked magic shows of those cackling bird-men who wouldn't know true sorcery if it smacked them in the beaks',"**_ Gufuu informs him with yet another long-suffering sigh. _**"Also, Princess, he is not my hostage. I simply doubt you will refrain from attempting to do him harm if given the chance."**_

"Auntie s-said that Mister Black-Wings is 'o-overprotective'," Wish chimes cheerily.

"Nothing here makes sense…" Zelda groans. "That nest has clearly not been used for quite a while and your wings radiate pure magic. Your hostage—… the man you are hiding from us feels strangely foreign, you are acting uncharacteristically docile and… Oh, Nayru, grant me strength…"

"Uh, are ya gonna be okay there, princess?" Shadow asks sheepishly.

"M-m-man…?" Wish echoes, bursting into yet another giggle fit.

"Okay, seriously! What do ya know that we don't?" Shadow asks his little 'doppelganger' exasperatedly.

"_**I am NOT overprotective,"**_ the wind demon huffs, annoyed.

"Th-then show them~…" Wish retorts with a wide, innocent grin.

"_**Hmph."**_

Gufuu's wings snap open with a loud rush of air and become translucent before completely fading from sight.

"Ya were hiding a STATUE of a little girl?" Shadow blurts. "…Pfffffft….. HAHAHAHA—"

"_**DIN! No, do NOT do that! Here, I will handle it,"**_ Gufuu hurriedly responds to the voice only he seems to be able to hear. (In case anyone was wondering, Shadow was about to be violently beaten about the head with the Cane of Pacci.)

One of his wings suddenly rematerializes and slaps Shadow smartly across the face.

"…_n…"_ a faint voice whispers as the thinned, elongated limb makes contact.

Shadow grabs the wing in one hand before it can retract. "The heck is that other voice?"

"_**What do you think you are doing, brat? Let go of me!"**_

"…_I… am… NOT… a… GIRL…!"_ the whisper hisses at him.

"Wait, the statue TALKS?"

"Shadow, what…?"

"Uhh, I heard something when the eyeball-jerk slapped me, so I held on, and now there's some angry voice whispering about how it isn't a girl."

"…_You can hear me…?"_

"Yeah, I can hear ya."

"_**Let go of me before I send you on an express trip to the ground far, far below us,"**_ Gufuu threatens, irritated.

"Okay, okay! Sheesh… It's not like I'm stabbing your ugly eye or something," Shadow huffs, releasing his grip. The whispering voice disappears instantly, cut off in the middle of another angry hiss.

Zelda sighs and cautiously approaches the statue, examining it. Its stature implies youth—a child?—and it, though somewhat feminine in appearance, does indeed appear to be of a male. The statue isn't of a Hylian, but of some unfamiliar humanoid with long, drooping ears and a slight snout. Its hands are a bit claw-like and five-fingered, its feet even more so with four finger-like toes each. The creature's hair is carved so that it appears to be shifting gently in a light breeze, reaching just past its shoulders in the back. Its eyes are closed, mouth slightly open as if taking a breath while asleep, and a little T-shaped marking adorns one cheek. The clothing carved is a simple robe with long sleeves that trails all the way to the floor, the creature's feet peeking out from underneath. A long, amazingly lifelike feather curls upwards from the back of the robe—a tail, perhaps?—, its tip marked in a darker shade of stone.*

"It looks so alive…"

"_**He is alive,"**_ Gufuu says suddenly, making her jump in surprise.

"What the heck do ya mean? It's a statue," Shadow asks suspiciously. "Are ya finally gonna explain yourself now, eyeball?"

"_**This child is Vaati, my host."**_

"He-she-whatever's your _what?_"

"_**He is my host. Honestly, brat, did you truly believe you were the only one Ganondorf used against his will? I was created as a parasite that would turn this child into a monster. Thanks to… certain events, that did not occur and he instead fell into a deep sleep under the Stone-Turning Spell while I took his powers. That pig attempted to have the statue destroyed many times, but it always sent me into a panic. After you broke the Dark Mirror, I remembered why that was so, and for that I must thank you. I have remained quietly here since to protect him and regain my strength. The little one named Wish gave me hope that he could be freed, and so I asked him to bring you here."**_

"What makes ya think I'll help ya?"

Zelda brushes her hand across the statue and pauses for a moment, staring at it suspiciously.

'_This boy has been touched by the Triforce of Wisdom at some point…'_

**_"Oh, I have more than enough reasons to convince you. One, your enemy wields magic, as do we. We can counter her, whereas you are a swordsman. Against magic, your blade alone will undoubtedly fail. Two, Vaati knows the secrets of the Four Sword Sanctuary, which will surely prove useful, or at the least highly informative. Three, though you may doubt me as you wish, my only desire is to atone for my deeds however I can. Four, we have encountered and made an enemy of your adversary—she came here and attempted to possess Vaati for his power, but I drove her out. It seems she cannot remain for long within areas blessed with sacred energy."_**

"THIS place is BLESSED? Ha! What a joke!"

"Actually," Zelda comments, "I once read that the Palace of Winds was originally a temple, so he is, surprisingly, telling the truth."

"Hmph. Got any more reasons, eyeball?"

"_**We know the whereabouts of—"**_

A loud roar rips through the air from above and heavy stomping can be heard. Wish bolts up from the cot, grabbing the odd cane, and cowers behind his 'brother' with a whimper.

"H-here it c-comes again…!"

"_**Already? Din blast it, that dragon is relentless!"**_

"DRAGON?" Zelda and Shadow yelp in unison.

"_**The Sorceress set it loose in the Palace as revenge for 'defying her'. Fortunately, the beast appears to sleep quite often, but when it is awake, it storms about trying to find its way here. It has approached worryingly close as of late…"**_

"B-big brother, p-please use th-the Four Sword to help Mister Black-Wings so w-we can r-r-r-run!" Wish pleads, his stutter worsening in his panic.

"The Four Sword?"

"GROAAAR!"

"_**I suggest you do not look up…"**_

Zelda shivers. "Shadow, you do realize we have no way of escaping this place on our own…?"

"Great, so you're saying we need the eyeball's help? Fine. But I swear, if ya even _try_ to betray us, pretty boy, I will stab ya in that mousey face."

"_**Err… Vaati's body is not mine, Shadow of the Heroes… The technique is similar to calling light—simply gather energy in the blade and launch it at the statue."**_

The tower shakes violently and Shadow grits his teeth. "I _really_ don't want to help a jerk like ya, but I guess I have no choice…"

He unsheathes his sword and focuses as light envelops the blade. "Yah!"

A rainbow ring of energy is generated by his slash and streaks toward the motionless statue, connecting in a bright burst of light.

"GROAR!"

A large shadow covers the chamber—the dragon is here. It opens its mouth and exhales a tornado at the group.

"F-Farore!" Shadow yelps, staring in shock as the whirlwind abruptly dissipates several feet above their heads, blocked by the runes lining the top of the room.

"_**Get out of here, Vaati! Take them and go!"**_

"P-pico*…" a weak, high-pitched voice mumbles from the glowing light ball the statue has been engulfed in.

Two dark shapes begin to resolve themselves within the light, the larger of the two crouched over the smaller and shielding them both with the four large, familiar bat wings sprouting from its back.

"Whoa! The eyeball's a MAN?"

"Shadow, just this once… Shut up," Zelda sighs.

"_**There is no need to worry about me! I will hold the Green Hero off without causing him harm and bind him with a sleeping spell as we planned. Once finished, I will rejoin you. You can count on it."**_

"Green—Why would ya be holding Green off—"

"GROAR!"

Zelda blanches. "Shadow… I think… That dragon is…"

"Ripi!" the high-pitched voice yelps, sounding like that of a young boy.

"_**Language, Vaati. What would your Master think?"**_

"Rico pi! Ripico! Copiri picori!"

"_**Even if they do not understand you when you speak in Minish, I still do. Stop saying such things and go."**_

"Fine…" the boy's voice sighs in Hylian. "I'll explain everything once we're on the ground… Gather together, please…"

The forgotten rock lying on Wish's cot suddenly zips through the air and hovers in front of Shadow happily.

"Arrghus*! You're okay!"

The little rocky eye bobs up and down in a nod before hiding under his hat.

"Gufuu, you'd better stay safe!" the boy's voice presses.

"_**I will, Vaati. I will. Just GO."**_

Shadow only has a chance to register the color purple—and a lot of it— as the smaller figure races out of the light and zips towards them.

"Wind, lend me your aid!"

An emerald tornado swirls to life around the impromptu party and they disappear from the chamber.

The light fades and the taller figure—Gufuu—looks up at the frustrated dragon spitting tornados at his wind barrier, one eye closed.

"_**Time to take a little nap, young heir to his legacy…"**_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Awkward ending is awkward. This chapter gave me sooo much trouble… Too much dialogue, dammit! I feel like I'm falling into that pitfall again! And yes, the dragon is Green, just like in the original.

**Yellow Rod:** In case you didn't realize it last chapter, this is the Cane of Pacci, an item from the Minish Cap. It flips things over.

**Keese:** Umm, why am I even explaining these guys? Keese are common Zelda enemies; basically, they're bats.

**Wizzrobes:** Wow, lots of monster references this time… I hate these cackling bird-man/wizard things with a passion. In some games, they're bird-men, in others, just evil wizards, but they shoot fire/ice/etc. and teleport. They also make weird, annoying laughing sounds.

**The statue:** Meet my fic's Minish Vaati, everyone! He's human-sized and will probably stay that way for a bit~… He's slightly shorter than Wish in this form (MC Link seems to be around ten in the manga and Minish Vaati is shorter than him there, so that's what the proportions are based on height-wise?). I'll post the link to the drawing I did of him on my profile. Just imagine it hatless and there you go~!

**The Minish Language:** In the game, they use the syllables of 'Picori' as their language. I'm just mashing together combinations that sound nice; interpret them as you wish. He _is_ cussing where I have him saying "Ripi!" here, though. Whenever Vaati says "pico…" and nothing else, it's usually just a mumble that actually doesn't mean anything. He just takes comfort in the sound of his native tongue.

**Arrghus:** Am I spelling this correctly? Arrghus is Shadow's pet-minion-thing in the manga. It's also a Four Swords boss monster.

**The emerald tornado:** That's right; Vaati just used Farore's Wind. A variation of it, anyway.

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><p>That's all for Chapter Five. Please review…<p> 


	7. Chapter 6: A Familiar Face

**AN:** Sorry for the sudden lag. Like I said in the prologue, the last thing I want is to rush ahead and run out of steam… I felt like Chapter Five was really rushed and awkward, so I took a break from to think about how I want this chapter to pan out. Also, I wanted to work out just how human-Gufuu will look, so I was also drawing… Heh. Oh, by the way, a note about Wish's stutter. It tends to get worse when he's nervous, etc., and often lessens when he's happy. I'm not sure if I'll have it worsen when he's really excited—he may just talk really fast then. When Wish is dead-serious/angry, though (which doesn't happen often), the stutter disappears entirely. More on Wish later… Also, important! I changed a few details of the previous chapter, so you may wanna take another look at it.

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 6:<span> A Familiar Face

The impromptu group appears a few feet up in the air in a swirl of emerald-toned wind and promptly crash down into a conveniently placed pile of leaves in a clumsy heap.

"T-too… heavy… pico…"

"OW! What the heck's that yellow stick MADE OF?"

Zelda sighs as she carefully pulls herself off of the others and leans back onto her knees into a kneeling position to pull the next person out.

"Huh?"

The odd-looking rod the boy in white, Wish, was carrying is there, but its owner isn't…

"Here, I'll help you up… Are you alright?"

Shadow stands with a groan, rubbing his back where the smaller boy's odd item was jabbing into it. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"It seems the boy is gone," Zelda informs him, whispering a shrinking spell over the rod before stowing it in a hidden pocket.

"What do ya mean—…?"

Shadow directs his gaze to the former human pile and sees only a single figure.

"Whoa."

'_That's a LOT of purple.'_

The newest member of the group shakily picks himself up and turns to face the other two, brushing a few stray leaves off of his clothes. Vaati, no longer a statue, is a thin little thing who seems far too bony and frail. His robe is a light purple-blue with a slightly darker stripe near the end of each sleeve with a 'hill' pointing up towards his shoulders. The collar of it—perhaps the robe is actually an oversized tunic—is the same tone as the sleeve accents save for the small golden clasp holding it closed, as is his simple cloth belt. His hair is a lavender tone, the main part of his tail seeming a slightly lighter shade—the diamond-shaped section at the tip is a clear, darker purple rather than the blue-purple tones of everything else—, while his skin is so pale it's nearly white, tinged with a slight trace of lilac. The T-shaped marking below his left eye is also purple, so dark it's nearly black.

"Is it the fact that I'm from a race you didn't expect to ever see, the coloring, or both?" the boy sighs, meeting Shadow's gaze with red eyes far closer in tone to some brightly colored berry than the violetette's own flaming crimson.

'_Alright, Wish said he wears white, so Shadow must be this one in black. …Where is Wish, anyway? That means this time's Princess is the one in blue? She looks like a warrior… and that eye design is creepy and nostalgic in all the wrong ways.'*_

"Huh? How— quit reading my mind, ya weird little midget-thing!" Shadow answers, annoyed and unsettled.

"I'm not a mind-reader, it was just obvious," the boy retorts smoothly. "And I'm not a midget."

"You sound as if you are used to startling people with your appearance," Zelda comments.

"I am," Vaati says simply, idly scuffing little lines into the dirt with his claw-like toes. "Even among my own kind, I'm not exactly normal."

"Your _kind_? Ya mean there're MORE weird-looking mouse people like ya out there?" Shadow blurts.

"Shadow, saying it like that… Do you not think you are being a bit rude?" Zelda sighs.

"Huh? How's that rude? 's not like I said 'rat-thing'."

"…Never mind…"

Vaati looks up at Shadow for a moment, his little shoulders slumping as he looks down again.

"You… honestly don't know," the odd boy mumbles dejectedly. "Then we really have been forgotten …"

"Then why not remind us?" Zelda asks smoothly, trying to better the boy's mood.

"Yeah, what the heck are ya?"

The purple child nods. "I'm a Minish. Hylians knew us as Picori."

"Never heard of either one," Shadow shrugs. "Have ya, princess?"

"No, I cannot say I have," Zelda replies.

"Hihi… It's okay. Gufuu already told me we'd been forgotten, I just didn't want to believe him," Vaati says with a weak little laugh. The young(?) boy's laughter sounds strange; an almost eerie, high-pitched cross between giggling and a chuckle that sticks in the memory of whoever hears it.

"Of course, I doubt the two of you are very interested in my background at the moment," he continues. "I half-expected you to have me at sword-point the moment we appeared. I definitely don't look Hylian right now, you know nothing about me except that I am somehow related to Gufuu, who you see as an enemy, and I just prevented you from encountering the 'Green Hero'… Why aren't you demanding answers?"

He struggles to keep a straight face when Zelda and Shadow stare at him in astonishment, utterly mortified.

'_They completely forgot… Am I really that distracting?'_

"W-well then," Shadow fumbles, desperate to preserve at least some of his dignity, "start givin' some answers or ya _will_ be at sword-point, ya little brat! Don't even think about avoiding answering any!"

"And do not think you can escape us," Zelda warns.

"Hihihi," Vaati laughs again, the sound softly echoing off the trees, "if I wanted to escape, I already would have, Your Highness. What would you like to know?"

"What did that eyeball do t'—" "How is it that—" both 'interrogators' try to ask at the same time.

"Whoops. Ya go first, Zelda," Shadow concedes.

"Thank you, Shadow."

She turns to the odd boy, looking at him as if he's some kind of puzzle to be solved.

"How is it that the Wind Demon, Gufuu, who was slain, came to possess you?" she asks. "Has Gufuu returned as a vengeful ghost of some sort? And why do I not sense him with you now save for a faint trace of his presence?"

Vaati twirls a piece of his hair with his thin, claw-like fingers thoughtfully. "He was right, you didn't believe his explanation, or at least want to hear it from both sides. Gufuu isn't a ghost. He was originally a parasite, so as long as I'm okay and he's still connected to me, he has a chance of recovering… You don't sense him because he stayed behind to protect the Palace. The traces would be the bond we share. As for Gufuu's origins… a cruel, powerful man, Gufuu called him 'Ganondorf', wanted to make use of my powers. He created a special parasite to take control of my body and erase "Vaati" from existence, making my empty shell into the perfect pawn."

"Why would the pig-king want to create a monster that looks like ya?" Shadow interrupts. "Ya don't exactly look intimidating, and ya can't be all that strong physically…"

The berry-eyed boy stares down at his four-toed feet, still toying with his bangs with one hand. "I was friends with… someone important. That person would have been surprised to see me again, but the monster with my face wouldn't have much trouble getting close enough to kill. My friend saw the good in everyone, brought it out in them, even. This 'Ganondorf' must have known that."

"The demon called you a friend of 'the forger' and claimed to believe 'his blade' would do you no harm," Zelda muses, the wheels turning in her bright mind. "This important person you are referring to, who is he?"

"…That you will have to discover yourself, Your Highness," the young(?) Minish mumbles, avoiding her gaze.

"I did warn ya, didn't I?" Shadow says cockily, trying to intimidate the smaller boy as he unsheathes his blade. "Ya said it yourself; we have absolutely no reason to trust ya. Answer or you're at sword-point."

"Pathetic," Vaati hisses, the sudden sharpness in his tone and the cruel sneer curling his lips doing nothing to hide the deep, aching hurt in his red eyes. "Are you proud of it? Of the power you hold to threaten others so they'll bend to your will? Power, power, power; it's everything! Cruelty's the only strength, the only way anyone will notice you! Too bad I'm not scared of the dark anymore!*"

"Why ya…!" Shadow hisses, pressing the sharp edge against the boy's throat. "How dare ya talk high and mighty as if ya know me? Ya know **nothing** about me, ya little purple brat!"

His sword flashes and he drops it with a yelp, clutching his stinging hand with a pained hiss.

'_It SHOCKED me!'_

"All of ya stupid Sorcerers are way too full of tricks! What- what did ya DO, send LIGHTNING through my sword?"

"Shadow," Zelda calls softly, getting his attention. "He didn't do anything. I sensed no magic…"

"HUH? Then how did he zap me!"

Vaati seems calm now as he bends down to retrieve the blade, the twisted, cruel look gone without a trace. "Not again..." he sighs to himself as his fingers curl around the 'Dark' Four Sword's hilt and he straightens up, smiling softly at the blade while balancing it horizontally using both hands.

"Thank you, old friend…" the boy whispers, a small scratch on his neck the only sign he was just inches away from losing his head. "Looks like you've saved me again…"

"Quit cuddling my sword, weirdo!"

Zelda sighs. "It appears we've gotten off topic for no reason… Vaati, how did you avoid being taken over by this… parasite?"

The boy looks up, stoically ignoring Shadow tugging at the sword as he hangs onto it tightly with his bony arms and thin, frail-looking hands.

"I got lucky," he answers flatly. "The parasite didn't have a mind of its own at first, so there was time to do something about it. It was weeks before I or my Master even noticed it was inside me. It couldn't be removed from my body, but thanks to my Master, I was able to seal myself away with the Stone-Turning Spell and the parasite took on the form of the thing I hated most instead when it broke free."

"…Ya hate flying eyeballs? But Gufuu's the only one!"

Vaati raises an eyebrow. "…Just for that, I'm not letting go for a long while yet."

"What are ya, a little kid? Quit being bratty and give me my sword back!"

Zelda sighs and decides to ask another question before the two red-eyed boys begin bickering in earnest.

"Shadow, leave him be for now. How did Gufuu wake you from your sleep, Vaati?"

"But it's gonna start burning him any second! Don't ya know how legendary swords work, princess?"

"Why would it burn me, it knows me—hmm? How did I wake up…?" the pale little Minish asks, a bit disoriented as Zelda pulls his attention away from Shadow.

"Umm, I… don't really know. Everything between the Stone-Turning Spell being cast and hearing a voice screaming at someone to get out is completely blank…"

"You woke up from someone screaming?"

"It was Gufuu… A woman—he said she was a sorceress— was trying to possess me; I get the feeling my magic is really tempting to power-hungry villains in general. It _hurt_…"

Shadow lets out a faintly annoyed huff. "That's exactly what I don't get. Why's the eyeball protecting ya at all?"

"Because—"

Vaati suddenly pales, staring at something behind Shadow. The violetette's sword slips through numb fingers and clatters to the ground without his notice.

"_Come on, Zel, we're keeping him waiting!"_

"_Heehee, don't lie! We're early, you just like to run!"_

"L-Li…nk…?"

Shadow and Zelda turn to see the flickering, see-through figure of a young blonde boy looking to be about 12 or 13 with really messy hair and a sprout-shaped cowlick waving jauntily like a flag at the back of his head jogging along with an equally-transparent girl that looks a lot like Zelda. The boy is in an all-too-familiar green tunic and the pair soon disappears deeper into the woods.

"_**Link!**_" Vaati cries out, rushing after them in a flurry of wind.

"Wha—come back here, ya!"

Shadow dashes after the distressed Minish boy after scooping up his sword, Zelda following him with a sigh.

They find Vaati standing in front of a decrepit old temple, his hands on his knees as he tries to catch his breath.

"D-Deepwood… Shrine…" the boy pants, staring at the dilapidated ruins. "That means… these are… the Minish Woods…? Hihi… I'm practically… home…"

"Hey, brat! What was that for?" Shadow yells, catching up.

"This temple seems quite abandoned," Zelda comments.

"…"

Vaati peers inside through a gap in the walls, seemingly ignoring them.

"Hey, listen when people talk t'… ya…"

Shadow's sword pulses faintly in his hand and tugs towards the ruins the moment he gets close.

"Wha…!"

"Does that not mean…?"

"Y-yeah… one of them must be in there somewhere," Shadow confirms.

A little grin appears on the dark hero's face. "Ready for your first dungeon, Princess?"

* * *

><p>"<em><strong>You stupid, stubborn little hero child! Why in the names of Nayru, Farore and Din did you stay?"<strong>_ Gufuu hisses, struggling to keep the dragon trapped in a wind vortex.

"B-because, Mister Black-Wings, y-you can't hide when y-you're tired from m-me! And besides, y-you need help with h-him!"

"…_**Very well. Take care, Wish. This battle will not be easy."**_

"'C-course! Same t-t' ya, Mister F-Flyin' Eyeball!"

"…_**Hihi. You'll make your 'brother' proud, I'm sure. Let us begin."**_

* * *

><p>Hazy, grayish eyes slip open slowly as a faint presence brushes against his consciousness.<p>

'_This… feeling… Is that…? Is that… you…?'_

They slip closed to focus before snapping open again, the relief that restores some of their shine quickly fading away to be replaced with an anguish that dims the panicked being's eyes to a murky, near lifeless muddle.

'_Oh, Goddesses… It IS you…! No… No…! You can't… you can't come here…! You'll die… Please…! Don't look for me…! Run away…! PLEASE, Goddesses… make him leave before it's too late…!'_

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> …Still so awkward… Meh. Lol, MC Link has made his first appearance! There'll be plenty of past phantoms this time around…

**Vaati going over who's who:** While in statue form, Vaati didn't have the use of his eyes. Neither did Gufuu. Instead, they were 'seeing' magic auras and hearing via the wind. So, Vaati is just taking a moment to match voices and auras with how their owners actually look. This is also why there were no comments about the Princess's outfit from either wind user last chapter. Vaati is creeped out by the Sheikah eye because it closely resembles the one he uses as his emblem in Minish Cap (and is essentially a stylized version of his 'flying eyeball' form's single eye). It reminds him of both the monster he almost became and the Wishing Cap with its red, eye-like ruby.

**Vaati's little rant about power:** Actually, he's talking about himself and his past actions. Seeing Shadow acting like a 'bully' kind of set him off.

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><p>That's all for Chapter Six. Please review…<p> 


	8. Chapter 7: Deepwood Shrine

**AN:** …Whee. Here's another one. I'm tiiired, it's three thirty AM. ...Vio's left foot is the one that gets stepped on in the manga. That is all I have to say. :D

Many Thanks To:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 7:<span> Deepwood Shrine

Shadow and Zelda waste no time in slipping through a gap in the old, ruined shrine's battered stone wall, followed by a fidgeting, nervous Vaati. They're in a plain open-air room, its 'ceiling' the wide, leafy boughs of a tree growing up through a gap in the back wall. It's small as far as shrines go, not much bigger than Zelda's small study, and doesn't seem to have any entrances or exits at first glance. Something shiny glitters in the afternoon light streaming through the canopy, resting at the base of the tree, and Shadow immediately goes to investigate. Zelda hangs back, watching Vaati. The boy is a complete mystery and he could be leading them into a trap: the fact that he seems to know this place hasn't escaped her notice one bit.

"Deepwood Shrine, you called this place?"

He nods, staring at a tiny doorway only a couple of inches tall in one of the walls. "Yes… Ages ago, years and years before I was born, it served as a meeting place between my kind and yours."

She raises an eyebrow, looking around again. "You met in a small room like this?"

The boy shakes his head and motions towards the tiny door. "No, Hylians would usually meet with us outside. To a normal Minish, this room would be huge."

"Hmm?"

His cheeks darken slightly in a faint blush and he looks down, twirling his hair again. "See that door? Normally, I'd be small enough to walk right through it."

"That little hole? But it's so small!"

"For us, a puddle is a bottomless lake, clovers are umbrellas, and blades of grass are as tall as trees are to you."

"Then how are you our size?"

"That's…"

"Zelda, grab the brat and come over here!" Shadow yells.

She moves to take Vaati's hand but the boy flinches away and scampers off towards the tree.

'_He's… avoiding my touch? How strange…'_

* * *

><p>Shadow is holding a lone brown boot (it's for a left foot) in his hands when Zelda approaches, staring at a familiar blade stuck into the dirt between the tree's roots.<p>

"Farore dammit… What does this _mean_…?"

It's the Four Sword, or at least one of them… but which? The pommel stone is a dull, dead gray, leaving the lone boot as the only clue.

Vaati peeks curiously at the blade before closing his eyes.

"Which of the four are you…?" he whispers.

"What the heck are ya doing, brat?"

Shadow's words fall on deaf ears as a faint wind swirls around the little Minish, proceeding to curl gently around the sword before continuing on its way.

The boy smiles and opens his eyes. "_The power of the earth is the source of all living things… The Earth Element is the embodiment of this power._ This one is the Earth Sword… It's lost its Element, which is why the gem is gray, but I can feel it below us somewhere. It must have been attracted to its old resting place…"

"What are you talking about?"

He blinks. "You mean you don't know? The Four Sword was forged with the power of four Elements. Earth looks like three teardrops—well, I guess leaves would be the better word—in a line with the middle one in front and it's purple."

Zelda is knocked back roughly as she tries to stop Shadow. "No, don't!"

He angrily lunges at the small, pale boy, pure rage in his flaming eyes.

"Ya little RAT! You're talkin' about VIO!" he screams, tackling Vaati to the damp, leaf-covered ground.

"I-I don't even know who that is—!"

"DON'T LIE!" Shadow cuts him off, too angry to see reason.

"Pico rico pirico ripicoripi*!" the boy protests unintelligibly.

"You two, get up!" Zelda cries in a panic, noticing the cracks racing across the floor from the Four Sword that may or may not belong to Vio a second too late.

"WAAAAH!" Shadow yelps, accompanied by a high-pitched scream of "Pico!" as the floor crumbles beneath the two boys and sends them tumbling down into blackness along with the quiescent, seemingly lifeless Four Sword.

"You…"

She takes the miniaturized yellow rod out of her hidden pocket, following a hunch—and her own annoyance with Shadow, of course.

"**IDIOT!**" Hyrule's one and only Princess Zelda (of this time anyway) yells into the hole, throwing Wish's strange item down after the red-eyed duo as hard as she can.

A faint skittering grabs her attention and she grumbles choice unladylike words under her breath, uncoiling the brand new whip Impa gifted her as a gift for excelling in training as a horde of Tektites* skitter and hop towards her, followed by gloopy, grinning Chuchus* with insane, swirling eyes.

"An ambush, is it? Finally, I can truly practice my skills!"

* * *

><p>Vaati groans as he crashes to the floor, a swirl of wind breaking his fall just enough to ward off major damage. He immediately forces himself to roll to the side, just managing to avoid being squished by Shadow twice in one day—and nearly skewering himself as a result as the 'dead' Four Sword clangs down a few inches from his pointed noise.<p>

"P-p-p-pico…"

"Owww…"

Then they hear a faint cry of "IDIOT!" from above and a hard object manages to hit them both.

"Ripi…!"

"Okay, even _I_ get that that's probably a bad word at this point, and I have no clue what you're saying…" Shadow groans. "So cut it out already."

"Ripi," Vaati repeats stubbornly, rolling over with a hiss at his bruises and picking up the object Zelda threw down the hole. "This is… the Cane of Pacci? I thought it was gone. He didn't use it for this dungeon, but it should still come in handy."

"Okay, what the hell do ya know that I don't?" Shadow groans, pulling himself to his feet and glaring at the little Minish through the darkness. "I can let that kid in white slide, he's just an innocent little boy after all, but _you're_ just plain suspicious! How can ya hold the Four Sword like that without getting burned or even cut! It doesn't make sense!"

Vaati sighs, skittering over to the fallen Four Sword with the gray gem and cradling it carefully in his skinny arms just like he did with Shadow's earlier. "Promise you'll keep it a secret?"

"No," the violet-haired teen shoots back bluntly.

"Hihi… Of course you'd say that. I'm linked to Gufuu, so that instantly makes me a likely enemy in your eyes…"

Berry-red eyes gleam in the darkness momentarily before they slip closed, Vaati's long ears drooping slightly as he lets out a soft, nervous sigh. "I am—…"

"_**SSSSSSsssssssssss…"**_

Those eyes snap open wide in sheer terror and the boy scrambles to hide behind Shadow with the sword still cradled to his chest, whimpering garbled words in his own tongue.

'_It's gonna eat me it's gonna eat me Farore save me IT'S GONNA EAT ME!'_

The black-clad teen can feel the strange, near bipolar child shivering behind him, practically sobbing the same word over and over in his own language, but he's pretty sure he can guess what it is as the convenient torches lining the cavern* flicker to life to reveal the monster lying in wait.

"Farore, Nayru and Din, that is a HUGE snake."

"_**(Pl…se… r…n …aw…y…!)"**_ the snake hisses desperately, though only one of the two understands, and even to him it's garbled, distorted by the bindings on the monstrous thing's mouth.

Vaati's panic dies down at the words and a faint twitch of the sword he's holding. "Pi-pirico…?"

'_Who are you…?'_

The massive beast's head is taller than Shadow, one half-open eye glinting dully at him as it watches the pair, Goddesses-know-how-much of its body hidden below the ground and its mouth sealed almost entirely shut by rusted chains wrapping around its chin and bolted to a stone helmet with large tusks extending from it just below the snake's eyes. More chains drape down its neck, attached to an equally massive slave collar with an odd symbol* on it. The snake's tongue lolls limply from its sealed mouth between its jutting fangs, its gaze half-lidded and almost hypnotically pained rather than filled with the usual rage most monsters would bear. Its rocky scales are deepest violet, darker by far than the shade Shadow really wants to see, and glint with streaks of bluish-purple in thin stripes.

"Zelda, can ya see down here? What is this thing?"

Her voice calls down from above after a moment. "My Triforce of Wisdom is telling me… You face the Cursed Earth Serpent, Vilock*!"

"_**(…Pl…s… …no…! …Fi…n…! …Sc…r… …y… aw…y…!)"**_

It lunges with a garbled hiss and Shadow rolls out of the way, drawing his sword. Vaati shoots straight up with the aid of the wind, dropping the 'dead' Four Sword on the snake's head with a disorienting clang before quickly swooping back down to retrieve the Cane of Pacci. The snake's lower end remains firmly lodged in its hole, guarding any possible weak points, and an idea begins to form…

"Dis-distract it, Shadow!" Vaati calls shakily from the air, the Cane of Pacci beginning to charge up a yellow light.

"What're ya plotting?"

"J-just trust me for now!"

Shadow huffs in annoyance as he sprints out of the way. Yet another sloppy, oddly hesitant strike misses him by a large margin, the snake continuously staring at him with pained, gray-_violet_ eyes.

"Come on, ya stupid reptile! What're ya waitin' for, me to die of boredom? Fight me properly!"

The snake's hiss sounds almost like a frustrated growl as it rears back to glare at Shadow, the motion somehow familiar.

_Come on, Vio! They're just toy swords, I'm not gonna die! Fight me properly!_

Then a yellow sphere of light crashes into the helmet and the chains snap, flipping the bulky thing over to smack the snake in the head and roll off onto the ground. There's the purple he's been looking for, shimmering scales the color of a beloved friend's tunic trailing in an intricate pattern along the beast's face. The thing's mouth immediately snaps open and—

"_**Ssssssshadow, run…! Get… away… from me…!"**_ an all-too-familiar voice cries out in anguish, mixed in with Vilock's sibilant hiss. _**"I… can't… hang on… much longer…! P-PLEASSSSSE…! …Run…!"**_

Red eyes widen in shock and horror and he gasps. "Vi… _Vio…?_"

"_**Ssssssha…dow… …pleassssse…. …Nnnngh… ….AAAAAAAAAARGH…!"**_

The last traces of violet fade from the snake's eyes and it lets out a hiss mixed with an all too human cry of pain, thrashing violently. Thin, claw-like hands dig into Shadow's shoulders and suddenly he's airborne, pulled up above the snake's violent lunge as it emerges from its hole and rams into the wall.

"Let go! You're not a part of this, rat! I'll fight him myself!"

"Shut up, stupid Hylian Hero," Vaati hisses back. "Go ahead, but LOOK first! The s-snake's tail looks like the Earth Element, but it's like it's tainted… Destroy that, and maybe…!"

"I get it, for Farore's sake! I'm not stupid! Just put me down, get his sword out of here, and go tell Zelda exactly what's going on!"

True to the snippy little Minish boy's words, "Vilock's" tail is composed of three teardrop shapes in a dusty purple, a viciously glowing, egg-shaped red gem embedded in the center.

"Don't die!"

"Pffft… Ya have _no_ idea, Wind Sorcerer Junior. None at all… Now get going before ya drop me on my head!"

Vaati drops Shadow to the floor with an annoyed huff, grumbling about how he's the original and not 'junior' in any way as he scoops up Vio's blade and zips for the hole in the ceiling—only to be blasted back by a barrier. The boy crashes onto a ledge ringing the area with a cry and out of Shadow's sight, the sword clattering along with him.

"Shit," he curses.

"…I'm… okay… …c-can't… move, though…" the now-familiar high pitched voice whimpers.

"Rest up there for a while, then! At least you're out of the way!"

"J-jerk…"

Shadow's lips curl in a feral grin. "Well, Vio, looks like it's just ya and me now!"

"_**SSSSSSSSSSSSSSssssssssss!"**_

* * *

><p>Sacred steel crashes into the blood-red gem for a final time and it shatters, the snake thrashing violently as its hisses morph once more into a human's scream and it goes still, its eyes closed.<p>

"Vio? Oh Goddesses, please don't die on me…"

The now-empty set of teardrops detaches from "Vilock's" tail, leaving only an ordinary snake's tail marked with a cluster of old scars. It shrinks down and glows with a brilliant violet light- the Earth Element.

"…H-here… his sword…" Vaati pants, wobbling his way down from the ledge with Vio's weapon clutched tightly in his trembling arms.

"Sheesh, wind-brat, at least give yourself a breather… That light wall zapped ya all the way across the cavern!"

"I-I'll be… fine… This… more important…"

"Ya… care about the Four Sword a lot, don't ya?"

"Yes… Now… care for your… friend…"

Slitted violet eyes glare at Shadow in annoyance and a familiar voice hisses at him in his head—thankfully, it's a human hiss this time.

"_Why can't you ever just LISTEN to me? I could've crushed you, bit you in half, squeezed you to death, caused a cave-in, smacked you into a wall with my tail, so many horrible things, but nooo, you STILL had to fight me like an idiot!"_

Shadow shoots a goofy grin right back. "What else is new? You're talking t' the idiot who faced off against a group of Moblins* with a dinky little dagger, remember, Vio?"

"_Y-you REMEMBER! Does that mean…?"_

"Yeah, it does. No more curse. Ya remember too, then?"

"_Of course I do. Now could you do me a favor and fix my sword? I'm looking forward to having hands again so I can strangle you for worrying me like that."_

"Hahaha, s-same old Vio!" Shadow laughs nervously. He won't _really_ strangle him… right…?

"Uh, how am I supposed to do that, though?"

Vaati sighs. "Earth Element…"

The snake—or rather, Vio—nods and pushes the floating purple elemental essence towards his blade with his nose/head. It disappears into the blade with a flash and Shadow's 'dark' Four Sword begins to pulse in time with Vio's 'Earth' Four Sword as its pommel stone is restored to a vibrant purple.

"H-here…"

Vaati carefully holds the sword by the blade and presents the hilt to the snake as it's enveloped in a bright violet light and a human hand marked with the Triforce soon reaches out to take it. Just as it appeared in Shadow's vision/memory, Vio's Triforce of Courage sliver is one fifths inward from Shadow's.

"Much better… Now, where was I…?"

Shadow gulps, knowing that trying to cover his ears will only make things worse for him in the end. Pale purple-gray eyes glare at him as Vio stalks forward, his left foot bare. He's wearing tan pants instead of his old white tights and his left foot is scarred—from what, Shadow has no idea. His hair has changed as well, or perhaps it's merely reverted to how it really looked to begin with, and is several shades lighter than Green's.

'_Those eyes… Heh, that's the Vio Eldin* I know. Too bad I also know what's coming next…'_

"YOU FOOLISHLY FOOLISH FOOL, WHAT DID YOU THINK YOU WERE OH SO FOOLSIHLY DOING, FOOLISHLY TRYING TO FIGHT ME WHEN I WAS A GIANT KILLER SNAKE?"

"Hihi… Hihihi…! Who's the brat now~?"

"Sh-shut up, Vaati!"

"Hihihi~!"

"DON'T YOU IGNORE ME, SHADOW!"

"Eep!"

And the lecture begins…

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Shadow is a foolishly foolish fool! :D …Sorry, I couldn't resist. This isn't really meant to be OOC… Actually, I'm just of the opinion that an enraged Vio is something to be feared whether he pulls the lecture card or the shoot-you-in-the-face-with-an-arrow card… And since my Shadow and Vio are childhood friends, it makes sense that Shadow would be terrified of Vio's wrath. …As for foolishly foolish fool, I think it's a reference to something, though I'm not sure what.

**Vaati switching to his native tongue under pressure: **Half the time he doesn't even realize he's doing it. If he gets too distressed (or he's speaking to animals, since Minish and animals can understand each other), the mental switch in his head just flips back to its natural position and no one who can't speak Minish can understand him.

**Tektites:** Those hopping, spider-like monsters. They generally come in either red or blue (at least in Minish Cap), and red is stronger. They're common in forests and mountains. The ones attacking Zelda are the weak blue ones.

**Chuchus:** A very common recurring enemy in the LoZ series, they're living slime blobs and one of the weakest enemies you can face (even the electric ones aren't that tough, they just require good timing to beat). Seeing as the Deepwood Shrine's boss in Minish Cap was a 'giant' Chuchu, I needed to have them here... The 'giant' Chuchu was really just an ordinary green Chuchu, but Link was Minish-sized when he fought it, making it a giant in comparision. The ones attacking Zelda are green forest Chuchus.

**Conveniently placed, self-lighting torches:** Just more of your typical dungeon magic. Not even the Links bother questioning it at this point.

**Odd symbol on the snake's slave collar:** That would be the Gerudo symbol that first appeared in Ocarina of Time on the Mirror Shield, floor switches, the Gerudo flag, etc. Who else wears this that's evil and female? *hint-hint*

**Cursed Earth Serpent, Vilock:** Okay, how many of you realized Vilock's true nature from that title alone? By the way, Vilock is pronounced Vile-ock here, not Vee-lock. I based the name off of Gleeok, a recurring Zelda boss, and its Minish Cap relative, Gleerok. The latter, in the Minish Cap manga, at least, turns out to actually be a peaceful aquatic creature resembling the Loch Ness Monster that was cursed by Vaati.

**Moblins:** These spear-wielding, fat pig-monsters fall under the too-stupid-to-live category. Just look at them in Wind Waker. Even in Minish Cap, I think they can hit allies with their spears, too.

**Vio Eldin: **This is Vio's real name in my fic. …Yes, with the exception of Shadow and Green, I'm naming them after the Twilight Princess provinces/Light Spirits. They were the only names that really appealed to me…

* * *

><p>That's all for Chapter Seven. Please review, I really value reader input.<p> 


	9. 8: When the Past Comes Back to Haunt You

**AN:** Wow, a LOT of people found my fic in the past few days… Guess it was a good idea to post that update on the original… I went back and edited the chapters of this, the rewrite, a little to fix the times I accidentally had Shadow saying 'you' instead of 'ya' and ended up revamping part of the scene where Shadow meets his younger self in Chapter Three as well as the conversation between ? and 'the boy' at the end of that chapter (I added a line and changed up what ? said). …Wait, I can't spoil in a later chapter! I added a line to emphasize the connection between Shadow and Wish and changed what Gufuu said about it being too risky from him not wanting to anger Shadow (because he knows that's inevitable) to Shadow seeing Vaati as just a 'lifeless lump of stone' and therefore not helping him. As for the scene in which Shadow meets his younger self, I suggest you go back and re-read it… Trust me, it's worth it. Sorry I keep going back and editing things. In this chapter, the distortion in time is going to start playing a major role, so I'm going to put a list of Hero Titles I'll be using to refer to different Links in my little reference section at the bottom.

Many Thanks To:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 8:<span> When the Past Comes Back to Haunt You

Shadow stares down at his boots throughout Vio's scolding, hanging his head in mock-misery. He looks up as the irritated blonde's lecture finally trails into silence, his red eyes gleaming.

"So I'm a reckless idiot," the violetette smirks, "what else is new? Sheesh, Vio, ya know lecturing me isn't gonna change me, so cut it out already!"

"…Hmph. Just listen to me next time and you won't have to hear it," Vio huffs.

"Ya know full well I won't~ and besides, not only was there nowhere t' run, there was no way I'd leave once I knew that snake was really my best friend!"

"Sso, who might you be?" the blonde asks smoothly, turning to the odd, mouse-like boy who fell into his 'lair' with Shadow. "You seem to know quite a bit about the Four Sword."

"No fair! How come ya get t' ignore me and yell at me for doing it t' ya?" Shadow complains.

"Because you're a reckless idiot," Vio smoothly retorts, throwing his words right back at him.

"Erk…"

"Vaati…" the pale young Minish mumbles tiredly, slumping down to sit on the rough cavern floor.

"Ya okay there, brat? Ya don't look too good," Shadow comments.

"How so?" Vaati quips, rolling his eyes with that odd, ill-fitting sneer of his. "Torchlight isn't exactly bright or steady, and I'm naturally pale. Just because I sat down for a minute doesn't mean I'm not okay."

"Ooh, there's that creepy sarcasm again," Shadow snickers, "I'm sooo scared. What are ya, two people in one? Pick a damn personality already, will ya? And quit trying t' act tough when you're probably aching up a storm!"

"...You're a weird Hylian. And again, I'm fine."

"Your skin's kinda grayish and you're shaking, so no, you're not fine," the red-eyed teen points out. "Plus, that barrier ya hit definitely looked like it hurt."

Vaati stares at Shadow blankly, stunned. "H-how…?"

"The idiot here has excellent night vision," Vio explains impatiently. "Now, if you two are done bickering, can we get out of here?"

Shadow sighs. "Don't think I haven't noticed your wounds too, Vio."

"…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Suuure ya don't."

"Heyyyyy!" a female's voice calls from above. "Are you two all right down there?"

Vio blinks. "That voice… Sshadow, you brought the _princessss_ with you? You really are an idiot! What were you THINKING?"

"It's not like I did it on purpose! I tried using my sword to resonate with ya'll's to help me find ya and before I knew it we were at Sky-Tall Tower!"

"What? How did—"

"Shadow, Vaati, answer me!" comes another yell. "Hello?"

Shadow groans. "Calm down, Princess! We'll be with ya once we get past the damn barrier, get ready for a nice surprise!"

"Barrier? Surprise? What do you mean—?"

ZAP.

"Ow!"

The three boys exchange bemused glances.

"Stupid dungeon magic… This kinda thing got on my nerves even when I was on Ganondork's side," Shadow grumbles. "Oy, wind brat, do ya think ya can cast that spell ya used at the tower t' get us out of here?"

"I'm not sure…" the Minish boy answers sheepishly, standing up on wobbly legs. "It's a lot easier to cast in open air than in a cave like this without the help of a magic catalyst like a crystal."

"…What?"

"So you're a magic user, then?" Vio asks curiously.

His only answer is a small nod as Vaati turns away from him to focus and starts mumbling to himself in his native tongue.

"Ripico piri… Ripiri coripi piri…"

"Aaaand there he goes again," Shadow sighs. "Alright, might as well get this over with while the brat's distracted… lemme see your legs, Vio."

The blonde hero flinches. "Why?"

His best friend narrows his eyes in annoyance, the red orbs glowing faintly in the shadowy cave. "Let's see… There's blood around that hole ya had yourself wedged in and I noticed there were scars on your tail when ya were in snake form just like the one on your foot, so that means your injuries would be there."

"I'm not injured."

"Then why's there blood on your legs?"

"….Fine," Vio relents at last, "but quit worrying. I know where we can stock up on potions, and they're just scratches, really."

"How do ya know a potion seller around here?"

"Believe it or not, but I was living in these woods with a witch and her apprentice for a year," the pale-eyed teen replies with a grin.

"HUH?"

* * *

><p>Zelda spins around with a start, holding a few needles and quite prepared to throw them if necessary as a swirl of emerald wind appears behind her, depositing three figures onto the shrine floor.<p>

"Ya _really_ need t' work on the landing part," Shadow groans.

"…"

"Uh, Shadow, I think he fainted."

Zelda blinks, rubbing her clear blue eyes and looking again just to make sure she isn't seeing things. "Eh? Isn't that…?"

"Thankss for taking care of this idiot for me, Your Highness," Vio sighs, extricating himself from the pile of tangled limbs and pulling Shadow up after him. Vaati is unconscious, drained from the large amount of magic necessary to cast that wind spell of his inside a closed space.

"Oh my… So you were trapped underground by a barrier, Vio?" Zelda asks, concerned… and completely off the mark.

The blonde teen grimaces, turning to her with a sigh, "not quite…"

They both freeze and stare at each other, Zelda taking in Vio's scarred foot (and the small trickles of blood trailing down his ankles), straw-colored hair and pale grey-purple-blue eyes—the likes of which she's never seen before—, while Vio gawks blankly, taken by complete surprise by the sight of a blue-eyed shadow warrior with throwing needles in hand instead of the fragile princess in a gown he'd expected.

"…Sheikah…?"

'_I knew it. The friend who researched the Sheikah for Shadow's benefit must have been Vio. I can tell just by looking at him, he's not the same person as Green at all. Similar, yes, but not even enough to be brothers… Did the Four Sword cast some kind of illusion on all of them to affect their appearance?'_ Zelda muses to herself.

"Hyrule t' the princess," Shadow sighs. "We gotta catch Vio up, don'tcha think?"

"Err, yes…"

* * *

><p>"You're kidding," Vio says skeptically, looking over at the still-unconscious Minish asleep on the floor with the Cane of Pacci in hand while he pulls on his formerly-missing boot. "Shadow's wish to be in the light turned into a child? Gufuu is sstill alive? And that little boy, Vaati, is, for all intents and purposess, Gufuu's <em>creator<em>?"

"_Ganondorf created me,"_ a small voice whispers. _"Vaati is not to blame for my existence."_

Zelda shrieks and throws a needle, Shadow gripping his sword, and Vio just blinks at the little winged black ball as it flaps wildly to dodge the weapon, squeaking in terror before zipping over to hide in the little Minish boy's long, pale hair.

"_Hmph… Is attacking your answer to everything? I see you found one of your companions… Relax Princess, brat. My little minion is quite harmless. I sent it out to find you all. The dragon has been subdued…"_

"Ya'd better explain yourself soon, eyeball," Shadow hisses. "Don't forget, we've got your precious little 'host' kid with us, so don't try running away."

"_I have no intention of fleeing, brat. Expect a little gift when I arrive…"_

The little flying eyeball snuggles in Vaati's hair and seems to go to sleep.

"Confusing, annoying, arrogant bastard of a wind demon! The hell does that even MEAN!"

"Calm down, Shadow. Getting angry will not help," Zelda sighs.

Vio is quiet, thinking. _'Gufuu, the infamous Wind Demon, and Vaati, a Minish, also known as Picori… Picori… that word is familiar to me. I think I read it in one of those old legends… I'll need to double check to make sure, though. Honey, you'd better have taken good care of my book for me.'_

* * *

><p>"Rrrr…" the dragon growls weakly, worn out from the fight and bound by magic chains.<p>

"_**I have no intention of fleeing, brat. Expect a little gift when I arrive…"**_ Gufuu sighs tiredly as he emerges from his trance.

"H-how'd it g-go…?" the little boy in white asks as he staggers back into the chamber, out of breath.

"_**Much the same as before, unfortunately,"**_the demon answers with a groan._** "Your brother dislikes me quite a bit, it seems. Hopefully, this will help earn their trust. Did you find it, Wish?"**_

"Y-yeah… It's r-really heav-vy, though. I'm s-still too little for a w-weapon its size."

"_**That is fine. It is not necessary to break the crystal. Would you like to do the honors, or shall I?"**_

Wish shakes his head. "N-no thanks, I d-don't wanna use 'it' j-just yet, and I don-n't think I'm s-strong enough to break it anyw-way…"

"_**Very well, I shall do it, then. Please bring the sword here."**_

The little 'Hylian' boy nods and scampers back to the door, dragging a Four Sword with a gray pommel stone over to the bound dragon.

"H-here it is… S-so heavy…"

It hisses and flinches away from the weapon as if afraid, struggling against its chains.

"_**Calm down, young Hero… you will be released from this nightmare very soon."**_

A pale, long-fingered hand tipped with naturally purple-tinted (also long) nails reaches out to touch the dragon's forehead, examining the texture of the malevolently gleaming, translucent red crystal enveloping the Wind Element-shaped crest adorning it.

"_**Hmm… She cursed you quite badly indeed, but what is this power I sense…? Hmm, no matter… Wake up, Hero."**_

Strong magic pulses through the crystal and it shatters away and disintegrates in a puff of black smoke, allowing the Wind Element to drift free of its chosen hero's warped body as a pained scream echoes off the walls and the dragon begins to thrash wildly. The chains are cracking as a deep green energy pulses off of the beast's gray scales and its appearance begins to change. Soon, its body has gone from a dead gray to brilliant shades of green and it seems healthier somehow. Gufuu reaches forward to take the glowing green essence and the dragon snaps at him with a hiss, its fangs tearing across his arm.

"_**Argh!"**_ he grunts, stumbling back a step. The dragon glares at him with partially slitted bluish green eyes, seemingly guarding the Element.

"I'll g-get i-it!" Wish calls out, dashing forwards to grab the Element and dodging the beast's snapping jaws. The moment he has the Wind Element in hand, he pegs it at the 'dead' Four Sword as hard as he can.

"Th-there…"

"_**Get back, you fool! It is still violent!"**_

"Wh-what? Eek!"

The dragon gets one leg free and swipes at the startled boy, catching him off guard. Wish flinches away and the sharp talons of the beast's claw graze his left hand, tearing off the glove and ripping into soft, pale skin.

"Unnh…!"

A bright white radiance bursts from the young boy in white at the same moment the Wind Element restores its Four Sword and the dragon suddenly stops flailing, arching with another scream as the holy blade glows bright emerald and a strong wind bursts through Gufuu's bedchamber.

"_**What in Din's name…?"**_

A draconic yet Hylian creature curls in a pained ball on the stone floor, one hand reaching out to desperately clutch the Four Sword's hilt. Next to him is a small white figure, blurred by bright light, whose form seems to be flickering in and out of focus.

"Bwuh…" the figure mumbles, the 'word' sounding like nothing more than baby talk.

"_**You… That form… You are very young indeed. Why are you so determined to do this, child? One so small is surely too fragile for an adventure suited for a hero…"**_

The little figure shakes its head vehemently and for a moment, pink-red eyes stare stubbornly at Gufuu through its shroud of light. Another bright flash envelops the figure and suddenly Wish is back, his right hand cupped over his left as he holds it against his chest.

"Ow, ow, ow, owwwww…"

"_**Are you alright?"**_

"Y-yeah, it's ju-just a sc-scratch. S-sorry you h-had-d to see th-that… P-please don't t-tell big brother! I d-do-don't wa-want him t-to thin-nk I'm u-u-usel-l-less!" the boy stutters, ashamed.

"_**Do not worry so much. All I could see through the light was your small size and your eyes,"**_ Gufuu reassures him. _**"I have no intention of getting in your way when you've done nothing but lend your aid to Vaati and myself. Now… what are we going to do with this hero?"**_

He gestures towards the crumpled figure holding the 'Wind' Four Sword and Wish just stares, mouth agape. Gufuu, on the other hand, is looking at the figure's wild blonde hair with a faint hint of amusement.

'_Oh my… My dear little host is going to have a fit when he sees this one.'_

* * *

><p>The group of four walk quietly through the woods, Vio taking the lead with Shadow at his side and Zelda bringing up the rear, Vaati walking without a word in the middle of the pack with the little mini 'flying eyeball' on his shoulder, cooing softly to him every once in a while. They haven't come across anything except Octoroks* and the occasional Chuchu so far, but they're still being cautious.<p>

"Seriously, Vio, why are ya doing that?" Shadow presses, raising an eyebrow at his friend.

"Again, doing what?" Vio answers, slightly annoyed, "I don't know what you're talking about, sso either tell me what I'm doing or stop asking."

His tongue flicks against his teeth after a moment, mouth slightly open even after he's done talking.

"That! With your tongue! Ya keep flickin' it against your teeth like a snake tasting the air*!"

He blinks slowly, but his outer eyelids don't close, his eyes instead seeming to flicker as an inner, transparent set of lids moves instead.

"That too," Shadow adds. "Wait. Like a _snake? _Don't tell me you're still part monster...?"

"Oh, that," Vio answers calmly with another flicker-blink.

"Cut it out!"

"I can't help it," Vio shrugs. "I'd gotten so used to doing that after spending a month in that form that I didn't notice, ssorry. Fresh air tastes really good, though. So much better than that musty cave…"

"Wait, ya _are_ tasting the air? Farore! Did I not break that curse right?"

Another shrug and slow flicker-blink is directed Shadow's way as Vio sighs. "I'm not quite sure I was exactly a _monster_ to begin with. It felt like… like this corrupted energy was surrounding me, and taking that form was the only way my body knew how to survive it. Maybe, deep down I _am_ a serpent, in a way."

"Whaaaa?"

Vio grins. "Just like you're a shadow, Shadow: quick, crafty, and full of mischief and countless tricks, but always, always loyal deep down. I'm more of a serpent: sly, cunning, and intelligent, but humble and down to earth, with a hidden bite."

"Are ya talking about your lectures?"

Shadow receives a cuff to the head for his trouble.

"Vio, how much longer until we reach this witch's abode?" Zelda asks. "The sun will set in just a few hours, and, seeing as this is a forest, it will get very dark quite fast…"

"It's just a little further," Vio calls back. "I'm surprised we haven't run into Honey yet, though really, she's usually the one running into things and people—literally."

"Who's Honey?"

"Trust me; you'll know her when you ssee her."

A twig snaps and suddenly everyone's on high alert.

"_Grr… I practiced eight hours every day in preparation for this day! This is my one chance in a whole year!"*_ a soft, echoing voice grumbles, sounding oddly far away, yet close at the same time.

Vaati stops dead in his tracks, feeling pure dread pool in his stomach like a lead weight.

"No… why this, of all things…?" he whispers, eyes wide.

A translucent boy stomps into their midst, holding a long stick and wearing a familiar green outfit exactly like Green's except without a hat and with a white undershirt. A sprout-shaped cowlick waves like a flag from the back of his head with every movement, his hair otherwise completely tame. He makes his way to a translucent sapling with a branch that juts out, practically begging to be whacked, as the scenery around the four startled travelers begins to change; overlaid by that of a younger forest, and soon they're in a small clearing. The boy is solid now, as is the clearing, but the whole thing has an odd, dream-like quality to it.

"_HYAA—!"_ the boy yells—he even _sounds_ a bit like Green—, spinning around in a circle with his stick and lopping off the branch. _"Swiftblade School Style: Spinning Slash!"_

Vaati's knuckles turn white, his little fingers digging into his palms.

"_Heh,"_ another voice snickers, sounding strangely familiar. It's slightly high-pitched and somehow full to the brim with scorn.

Vaati hisses under his breath, glaring at another figure peeking out from behind a tree. He's dressed in a purple tunic that looks eerily like Vaati's, a darker purple cape with a golden clasp shrouding his arms and shoulders and an oddly sinister-looking purple cap perched upon his head, its brim lined in gold and inset with a massive red gem. His skin is very pale, tinted with a trace of lilac, and the same marking adorning Vaati's cheek is below his single visible, ruby-red eye. The other is covered by a long lock of lavender hair, its style oddly similar to the Minish boy's. A golden belt holds his tunic around his waist, its buckle resembling an eye with a red pupil. Beneath the tunic he's wearing puffy red-orange pants and wide-strapped sandals in the same color. …Really, everything about him is oddly similar to Vaati…

"_Who're you?"_ the first boy yells, _"You laughin' at me?"_

"_No… just watching your infantile skill,"_ the newcomer says with a mock-gentle smile, closing his eyes.

"_WHAT WAS THAT?"_ the blonde explodes, enraged.

"_Now, now,"_ the boy in purple 'scolds', a finger to his lips and a cruel glint in his eye, _"I'll show you a REAL way of cutting down trees."_

The boy's sleeves are exactly the same as Vaati's. In fact, his entire tunic is, right down to the collar and exact shades of purple. A blast of wind explodes outwards from the boy in purple and smashes through the trunks of the surrounding trees in a neat circle, leaving the blonde boy speechless as he sits on the ground, stunned. The purple boy—a sorcerer?—smirks, his lip curling in a familiar way as he walks off through a gap in the fallen, severed trunks.

"_Wh…"_ the stunned blonde gasps. _"Who was THAT guy?"_

"_Link~!"_ a girl's voice trills cheerfully.

"Wha—"

"Ssshhh," Vio hisses, covering Shadow's mouth.

A girl who looks almost exactly like Princess Zelda—she has to be her ancestor, the resemblance is too strong for her not to be— sees the one she's looking for and strolls over.

"_Link!"_ she calls again in greeting with a happy smile.

"_Princess Zelda!"_

The ghostly other-Zelda notices the destruction and gasps. _"Goodness, what happened HERE?"_

"_It was nothing,"_ other-Link huffs, standing up and brushing himself off. _"More importantly, you snuck out of the castle again, didn't you? The ministers must be in an uproar."_

"_But today's the day of the Picori Festival that only comes once a year!"_ other-Zelda trills happily, undaunted.

Vaati flinches.

"_Hey, let's go see it together!"_

"_I'm not going,"_ other-Link pouts stubbornly.

"_Why not?"_

"_I'm in the middle of my sword training!"_ the boy yells, brandishing his stick—err, 'sword'. _"If you wanna go, go by yourself!"_

The tears come out and this-Zelda grins, knowing the tactic well.

"_Why are you saying such mean things?"_ other-Zelda wails, sobbing into her hands, _"And here I was looking forward to going to the festival with you, Link…"_

Other-Link shifts uncomfortably. _"I… I was just kidding!"_

He grins frantically, desperate to cheer her up. _"Just kidding!"_ he repeats, _"I've been looking forward to it, too! So don't cry anymore, okay? Now let's hurry and GO!"_

"_Yeah~"_ other-Zelda trills, immediately happy as she tugs him along by the hand.

The forest returns to normal after the two ghostly figures leave, leaving a heavy silence in their wake.

"Was that…?"

Zelda feels energy building up and tenses, looking at Vaati. Pure anger and pain fill his berry-red eyes as they flicker with a hint of ruby, gleaming with magic.

"Fool…" the boy hisses. If it weren't for his mouse-like face, the sneer curling his lip right now would probably be identical to the strange boy in that vision.

"Vaati, do you know that person?" Zelda asks, hoping to distract the little Minish before any of that built-up magic ends up being used destructively.

"Know him?" Vaati asks, his eyes outright blazing now. "_Know_ him? Your Highness, I _am_ him."

"So you're _not_ a mouse-person?"

"Shadow," Vio sighs. "Shut up."

"I am afraid I do not understand," Zelda answers calmly. "What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I said," the little Minish answers through gritted teeth, "that boy you saw was me. That was my friend, Link—the hero you know as 'The Forger'—, and that girl was your ancestor, also named Zelda."

He turns to Shadow. "I was going to tell you before the s-sn… sna…"

"Snake," Vio supplies helpfully. "I remember; you freaked out when the torches lit... I frightened you badly. Ssorry about that."

"Thanks… I was going to tell you then, Shadow."

"Tell me what, wind brat?"

The pain in Vaati's eyes wins over the anger and they shift back to their usual berry tone as he sighs. "Goddesses, I was… I was such a fool back then…"

"Just spit it out, will ya?"

The Minish boy takes a shaky breath. "F-fine… No point trying to put it off any longer…"

_A cackle, pointing towards the bound chest… A wish for power… The darkness in the hearts of humans… Power gone mad, the corrupting wish, taking over his mind, racing for his heart, his soul, to turn him into a monster… A cry for help, a gleaming blade… A sobbing child, a promise of friendship…_

"I am the reason the Four Sword was created."

The seriousness of the moment is abruptly shattered as a broomstick flies through the air and crashes into Vaati, sending him flying into a tree with a startled yelp.

"Oh Nayru, I hit somebody!" a harried voice calls out as its owner dashes into view. "Sorry, sorry, darn old thing is really testy lately… Are you okay?"

It's a girl with dark green hair wearing an oversized purple witch's hat and a purple dress with dirt stains on the back (she must have fallen onto her rear from the broom), simple brown shoes adorning her feet. A large brown satchel loops over her shoulder, a few mushrooms and herbs poking out.

"Everyone, meet Honey*," Vio says simply.

She turns and her eyes widen. "Huh? What? You— H-how…?"

He taps the sword in its sheath on his back. "My idiot best friend showed up and broke the curse on me," Vio explains, gesturing towards Shadow.

"Oh, so _this_ is the boy you were so worried about when you got your memory back!" Honey trills, circling Shadow curiously.

"Th-the heck? Back off!"

"A… a little… help here…?" Vaati gasps. He's been pinned to the tree by the girl's broom.

"Oooops! Sorry, sorry!"

"Ssheesh…"

* * *

><p>Soon the group finds themselves in a quirky cottage deep in the woods. Honey, the little witch-in-training, is upstairs rummaging around for some things Vio apparently left in her care while the old lady who owns the cottage, a wrinkly, cheerful witch named Syrup (Syrup the Sixteenth, to be specific) stirs a pot of soup. Vio's pants have been rolled up and his legs are now wrapped in clean bandages. Zelda sits on a stool reading the book she found at the Four Sword Sanctuary—where was she hiding that thing*?— while Shadow and Vio sit on similar stools watching Syrup cook. Vaati is lurking in a corner, twiddling his hair while the little 'flying eyeball' coos softly at him.<p>

"So, boy, I see you're back to normal, eh?" Syrup cackles. "Good thing, too. Honey was ranting about trying one of her ramshackle experimental spells, and I doubt you'd like that very much."

Vio immediately launches himself at Shadow, startling the red-eyed teen, and hugs him; nearly sending them both toppling from their stools.

"Never mind Ssshadow, you're not an idiot. You sssaved my life. I would've been DOOMED! Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"…Uhh… You're… welcome…?"

"How many explosions?" Vaati asks immediately, sounding oddly amused. This is the first time he's spoken since they entered the cottage.

Syrup turns her head and spots the boy, her lips stretching into a wide, gap-toothed grin. "My, my, if it isn't a Picori! However did you manage to wander your way here, child, and at our size, too?"

"Y-you wouldn't believe me if I told you, ma'am… So, how many?"

Syrup cackles loudly. "Almost all of them, be it spells or potions. I don't even let her near my cauldron anymore!"

"She'ss deadly…" Vio groans. "I sswear… I almost died ssssoooo many times…"

"Are you an apprentice to some old witch yourself?" Syrup continues, ignoring the blonde hero's apparent misery.

"I was apprenticed to a sage of my kind, ma'am," Vaati answers respectfully, "though that was a long time ago… How do you know of the Min—umm, Picori?"

Another laugh. "My great-great-great-something granny Syrup the Fourth wrote plenty about you little mousey folk in her diary. Plus, we've got a little cottage under the care of our family…"

"Huh?"

"A little Picori mushroom house at the edge of these woods, sealed since who-knows-how-long-ago with magic. Syrup the Fourth's diary has an old letter in it saying how it belongs to this famous sage who left on a journey*."

Vaati's eyes widen, but he doesn't ask any more questions. An awkward silence descends on the first floor of the cottage as he notices Zelda's, Vio's and Shadow's curious eyes on him.

"So, little Picori, how many explosions did _you_ make?" Syrup asks good-naturedly, breaking the silence.

The little Minish boy smiles widely and his odd laugh tinkles through the cottage, drifting on the wind like a string of bells, the sound completely devoid of its usual guarded edge. Suddenly, it's very hard to believe that the cruel-eyed, scornful stranger in that vision and this little, laughing child could ever be the same person as some unseen, ever-present tension lifts off the boy completely and he laughs, simply laughs, with nothing to hide, nothing to be sorry for.

"Hihihi…! Not a lot with spells. Potions, though? Too many to count!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> …Ah, Mabel/Maple, always running into things—meaning people, mainly those named 'Link'— on your broom… I couldn't help but reference her, especially when I decided where Vio spent the year between the return of the Four Sword to the Sanctuary and it being drawn again. More on that later… Getting to show off how magic users are all 'weird' is fun, I'm glad I decided to do this. Vaati is a lot more relaxed in a potion shop than he'd be almost anywhere else... It makes sense to me, hope it does to you, too. ….Damn this chapter is long. Over 5,000 words, nearly 6! By the way, Shadow tends to have a bit of a potty mouth, but avoids cursing around Wish almost by instinct. His usual name for Gufuu isn't actually 'eyeball', it's 'eyeball bastard'… He assumed Wish might be able to hear him since it's fairly obvious the boy stayed behind, so only started cursing after the connection seemed to end. …And yay, I finally got to write happy-Vaati. I know I've been portraying him as having some pretty odd mood swings, but what's going on is that sometimes he'll instinctively hide behind his 'evil sorcerer' persona as a defense. When he's angry, though, it's really just that he's angry and is a lot more mature and spiritually 'older' than he seems thanks to what he's been through. When Gufuu's around, he doesn't tend to slip into 'sorcerer mode' as much unless it's intentional.

**Octoroks:** Standard recurring Zelda enemies. I still need to include a scene where they give Shadow trouble in this version, lol. :D

**Vio's snake attributes:** Basically, he's carrying over qualities from his 'monster' form. I decided to adopt a Twilight Princess mentality about their transformations. Instead of an all-out crystal growth being the source of the curse (as it was in the original), the four Elements are shackled to their chosen heroes and corrupted by evil crystals. The effect is much like the Twilight's effect on TP Link, except these Links aren't becoming wolves. After being turned back, Vio kept echoes of his serpent self in the form of the ability to taste the air and a set of transparent eyelids (which some snakes have) which make his eyes flicker when they blink. They also block out water, sand, etc. He also picked up a bit of a hissing 'lisp', which becomes more pronounced when he's half-asleep, upset/excited/etc., or doing it on purpose to put emphasis on a word.

**The whole past flashback scene:** The dialogue for this was ripped entirely from the manga, though I used the English/game names like Swiftblade for the sword school and spinning slash instead of Kaitengiri (even though kaitengiri sounds cooler). This event actually occurred near Minish Cap's Castle Town, not in the Minish Woods, but I thought showing it here would still work well…

**Honey and Syrup (the sixteenth):** Honey is a descendant of Maple/Mabel the Witch from Oracle of Seasons. Maple/Mabel has a bad habit of crashing into you (Link) on her broom and knocking both your belongings and hers to the ground multiple times during the game, then yelling at you even though she was the one not watching where she was going. In the manga version, she meets Link in the Temple of Seasons where she's trying to find the Rod of Seasons in order to earn her Witch Certificate. It has been heavily implied (and possibly outright stated, I don't remember exactly) that Maple/Mabel is Syrup's apprentice. Syrup the Witch appears in the Minish Cap game (in this fic, she is Syrup the Fourth) as a potion seller living in the Minish Woods near Lake Hylia's border. I am referring to the first Syrup as being the Oracle of Seasons Syrup… I think…

**Zelda pulling objects seemingly from nowhere:** Sheik does it with his harp, so Zelda can do it, too. She did it with her whip last chapter as well. By the way, I keep forgetting to mention that Zelda's tabard is long and goes down to her upper thighs in the front and back, so she doesn't show off a 'shiny spandex butt' like Sheik does. ^.^; In the end, she's still a princess, and so her propriety must be maintained… It also makes it easier for her to pull stuff from 'nowhere'—it's really just a series of linked 'hammerspace' pockets sewn onto her suit in strategic locations.

**The Picori Cottage:** Guess who that sage is. Just guess. :D Starts with an E… That's right, he went after Vaati. More about that (and why the Four Sword can't really hurt Vaati) later in the fic~…

**The different Links:** Many of the legends are pretty hazy in my fic. For example, little to nothing is known about MC Link, which is why he's known only as the Forger. The hero to wield the Picori Blade has been completely forgotten.

The Forger = Minish Cap Link. He was around 10 years old (in my opinion… was he _younger_? O_O; I think OoT Link was 10 when his adventure began… oh my, maybe MC Link was 8! O_O; …I think I'll stick with 10 unless someone informs me otherwise…) during his adventure and his 'guide' was the Minish Sage-turned talking hat, Ezlo.

The Hero of Seasons and/or Ages = Oracle of Seasons/Ages Link. He didn't have a 'guide' in the games, but he did have companions in the manga version: Mabel, Ricky, what'shisnamethesleepyflyingbear, and the little chick-turned-hen Piyoko in OoS and Ralph (and Puni the horse, sorta) in OoA… …Raven, Link's ancestor in the manga, may be mentioned in passing in this fic, I dunno.

The Hero of Time = Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask Link. His 'guides' were Navi the forest fairy (and Sheik) in OoT and Tatl the fairy (or was it Tael? I get those two confused a lot) in Majora's Mask.

The First Hero of the Four Sword = Link from the first Four Swords game. The current Four Sword Heroes are from the Four Swords Adventures game/manga and are a completely different _generation_ than the first one to face Gufuu.

The Warrior and Thief = A Link to The Past Link and Ganty (she's from the manga). I couldn't think of a good title for him, so I decided to give them a joint title for their legend.

* * *

><p><strong>Edit 0926/2012: **Fixed a few grammar things that were bugging me and added Vio's hiss-lisp. It won't be showing up too much except for when he's half-asleep or really stressed in later chapters because Vio doesn't like it and, once he gets more used to it, usually makes sure to enunciate carefully so he doesn't hiss.

That's all for Chapter Eight. Please review, I really appreciate the feedback.


	10. Chapter 9: Wind Dragon Aerolvia

**AN:** Sorry I took so long to post this; I had it finished early Thursday morning (it's Thursday night for me now), but didn't have Internet access. I'm home for this week, going back to college Sunday ( TT_TT ). Not to mention I had a bit of writer's block, but ideas came to me at last for this one and the next, so the next one should be coming up fairly soon… Gosh, I'm so tired… It's nearly 2 AM (well, it was. Now it's around 10:30 PM). By the way, I have image links for this fic posted on my profile. They are all things I myself drew. The next 'reveal' pic (for the six Links) will be up soon…

Many Thanks To:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 9:<span> Wind Dragon Aerolvia

The night is quiet and still, the moon peeking down at the land behind a thin veil of clouds. Zelda, having introduced herself as 'Sheik', is sleeping downstairs on a couch in the cozy little den behind the workroom-and-shop area where Vaati is resting on a small roll-out pallet on the floor. Syrup and Honey are in their respective rooms upstairs along with Vio (who, having lived here for a year, has a small room and cot to himself) and Shadow, who's on another roll-out pallet in Vio's room.

"The 'Picori' sage she was talking about…" the Minish boy whispers into the calm quiet, staring up at the wooden ceiling as he lies awake. "Could it really be you, Master…?"

The little flying eyeball stirs from its perch on a nearby shelf, carefully bouncing over to the edge without disturbing the potion bottles it's sharing space with, and launches itself into the air. It makes its way over to Vaati and coos at him worriedly.

"I'm fine, just thinking…"

It coos again and Vaati sits up, pushing the thin blanket off in preparation to stand.

"So he's close? Thank you," he whispers, scanning the room with his eyes before quietly sneaking to the front door and slipping outside.

* * *

><p>"Ugh… wha…?" Zelda mumbles groggily, rubbing her eyes and sitting up to look around.<p>

The little den is quiet and nothing seems out of place…

"Guess I'm just jittery…" she yawns, lying back down to return to dreamland where she very much wants to be.

Just as she is about to drift off again, a quiet, muffled thump echoes in the still air and she bolts up off the couch, silently thanking Impa for making her practice sleeping with her weapons on hand. Wide awake now, she realizes just what woke her in the first place…

"What is this…? Such strong magic…" she whispers to herself, creeping out into the main workroom.

Vaati's cot is empty, the front door left slightly open and letting in a draft…

'_Could he be off to meet with that demon?'_ she wonders, slipping silently out after the Minish boy.

Zelda follows the strong magic presence to a clearing overlooking a calm, wide river, taking care to be as silent as possible as a voice begins to become audible through the trees.

It soon resolves itself into an incomprehensible stream of rapid gibberish, its tone and pitch unmistakably Vaati's. Zelda sidles around a tree trunk to peer into the clearing, praying she won't be spotted. Her heart is pounding a mile a minute and it's all she can do not to shake with nerves.

'_Calm down… Impa trained me for this sort of thing, there's nothing to be worried about…!'_

Zelda's racing thoughts come to an abrupt halt at the sight that greets her blue eyes, having left the illusion down in her sleepy haste.

"(Stupid! Stupid, stupid, STUPID!)" Vaati sobs in Minish, clutching a long-fingered, pale hand with sharp, (also long) purple-tinted nails between his own claw-like ones as he floats a good foot or two off the ground with the help of the wind. The boy's back is to Zelda, his fluffy feather tail twitching in agitation.

"(You said you'd be fine, you stupid idiot, and you came back HURT! Why did you take such a big risk? STUPID!)"

The hand's owner lets out an aggrieved sigh and simply stands there stiffly, stoically enduring the wailing child's hysterics. The man—at least, she's pretty sure he's male— is standing so that Zelda only sees him from the side, but this view alone is more than enough to startle her.

He's at _**least**_ six and a half feet tall, if not taller, his bare feet planted solidly on the ground while Vaati has to float just to reach his hand. A curtain of silky-looking, purplish-black hair cascades down the man's back down to his waist and straight bangs frame his currently obscured face, with ears longer than Zelda has ever seen on a Hylian sticking up out of the pin-straight curtain of hair. On his head sits a golden headdress that seems to resemble horns and the man is wearing a dark blue-violet coat with a pale lavender stripe on the only sleeve Zelda can see much like the ones on Vaati's tunic, save that the 'hill' is a spike instead of being rounded. Long navy blue pants cover the man's legs and the tops of his feet—they must be custom tailored, for she has never in her life seen anyone with legs anywhere near as long as this man's.

Everything about him is long and thin, almost bordering on spindly spindly, but the power he radiates is absolutely immense… Who is this stranger?

Vaati's stream of incomprehensible Minish sobbing abruptly cuts off—Zelda's been noticed, it seems. Tears stain his mouse-like face, his little knuckles nearly completely white from gripping the tall man's hand so tightly.

"Good evening, Your Highness," the same voice she heard in Gufuu's bedchamber sighs as the man slowly turns to face her, his movements stiff and awkward. His eyes are closed…

Zelda simply stares in for a long moment. The same T-shaped marking Vaati has traces across the man's cheek in red, his headdress bearing a large red gem set in gold that covers his forehead— it looks much like a single, red eye. His coat is fastened with a thin golden chain and beneath it he's wearing a pale grey-lavender tunic with a collar much like Vaati's even down to the golden clasp, held around his waist by a golden belt whose buckle has a red center. The reason for Vaati's hysterics is also now apparent: the man's left sleeve is torn off just below the shoulder, his arm and hand completely encased in bloodstained bandages.

"If you wish to remain hidden from a mage, I suggest you mask your aura… I could sense you approaching all the way from that cottage," he advises, sharp, pearl-white teeth glinting jaggedly in the moonlight.

Zelda snaps out of her stupor with a jolt. "Wh-who are you? How do you know—?"

Vaati lets out a choked little giggle and releases the man's hand, drifting gently down to the ground.

"Hihi… surprised, P-Princess?"

"Well, the difference in appearance is likely quite striking," the man sighs, opening one eye. Its iris is pure white with a bright white glow in its pupil, seeming to pierce right through her. "…My, what unladylike clothing," the stranger chides. "I was under the impression Princesses wore gowns. Have the social norms truly changed so much in so short a time?"

"Shape-shifting again I see, Wind Demon," Zelda hisses angrily, catching on. "You won't fool me! What are you plotting?"

A strong gust of wind knocks her needles to the ground before they can so much as tear the demon-man's clothes and Vaati growls, his eyes blazing bright ruby as he fixes Zelda with a furious glare.

"I swear to Farore, Nayru and Din, if you throw any more needles at Gufuu, this will turn into a repeat of the Picori Festival when your ancestor got turned into a _rock_," the boy snarls, the sheer venom in his voice prompting her to take a step back.

"Vaati, calm yourself. Her actions are quite understandable considering my identity…And you know as well as I do that you would be tormenting yourself for weeks on end if you used that spell on another innocent," Gufuu sighs, one eye still closed. "Why can we not be civil about this?"

"I have no intention to be "civil" with a bloodthirsty _demon_," Zelda sneers in reply. "The moment I let down my guard, you'll have me locked up in a Nayru-damned tower again!"

He raises a thin eyebrow. "…And I would do such a thing why, exactly?"

"Because it's what you've always done, you beast!" she shoots back viciously. "Your goal has always been to drown this land in darkness! What else would you do?"

A deep, hearty chuckle ripples through the air and Zelda is graced with both of Gufuu's eyes at last, mirthful tears sparkling at their corners. "Hihihihihi! What else indeed! How amusing, that you believe I could simply whisk you away to some pre-prepared, heavily guarded dungeon after not even having a body until earlier today!"

His eyes narrow. "Honestly, little Princess, are you truly so petty, so ignorant? The world does not revolve around you. I have no interest in the darkness now, nor need of it. Why in Din's name would I need it now?"

"Hmph! Now you dare speak the name of a Goddess? Your impunity knows no bounds, demon!"

Both wind users exchange frustrated glances.

"Now you are simply being childish," Gufuu sighs. He seems to be doing quite a bit of that tonight…

"Do not speak to me like I am some foolish child, demon!"

The man scowls. "Oh, enough of this… Come, Vaati, let us give the Princess some space before she attempts to rip my head off simply for the 'sin' of breathing the same air as she."

She hurries forwards in an attempt to stop him, calling, "Don't you run away!"

"See you later," Vaati smirks, sending the girl tumbling again with a flick of his hand and another gust of wind.

"Perhaps you'll have better luck!" Gufuu calls loudly as his black wings phase into existence, sparkling with pure magic.

He takes to the air with Vaati as Zelda lets out a frustrated yell, pulling herself to her feet just in time to see him glance over towards the river.

"You cannot hide forever, Hero."

The pale-skinned duo disappear in a swirl of wind and a flash of light with a loud 'pop!', momentarily blinding Zelda—_'How dare he use the Deku Nut trick!'_ she thinks indignantly—as they escape.

She blinks. "…Hero?"

Sudden wing beats break the silence, much different than Gufuu's.

"_The Cursed Wind Dragon Aerolvia*,"_ her Triforce of Wisdom whispers to her softly. Zelda quickly retrieves her whip and prepares for battle, sharp needles poised to be thrown.

"…H-hey, Zel…" a familiar voice stutters sheepishly from the darkness. "Sorry I'm late."

She gasps; the whip and needles clattering to the ground, forgotten.

"_Green…_? Is that truly you?"

"…Y-yeah… Just… give me a sec."

Zelda hears something hit the ground and something metallic and shiny glints at her from behind a tree at the river's edge. "Green, why are you over there? Come here where I can see you."

"Please don't look…"

She just _knows_ something is wrong when she hears the tremble in his tone and races over to the telltale glint of a sword. "Green, come out right this instant! If you're some monster mimicking his voice, I swear to Nayru you will pay dearly for it!"

The flash of reflected light almost seems to taunt her as it disappears up into the branches, accompanied by the sound of frantic scrabbling and scratching.

"Uhh, can I prove it's me _without_ showing you?"

"Either you are my childhood friend, Green Hylia, or the Cursed Wind Dragon, Aerolvia, my Triforce warned me of!" Zelda declares. "Continue hiding, and I shall have no choice but to assume the latter!"

"…Umm… do I _have_ to?"

Zelda tosses a ball of light magic into the tree and she grins in satisfaction at the panicked yelp it produces.

"Fine…" the voice mumbles, defeated. "Fine, just… back up a little, I don't want to land on you."

Zelda obligingly takes a few steps back. "Well? Come on out."

Twigs and leaves shower down from the tree as a human-sized figure leaps down from a thick branch, large, thin wings snapping out to break its fall and a tail about half as long as its legs swishing from side to side in agitation.

"Hi, Zelda," Green mumbles, looking anywhere but at her and wishing he could just sink into the ground and disappear.

"What on earth—Green, what did Gufuu _do_ to you?"

A hand covered in dark scales reaches up to scratch nervously at pale hair and Green sighs. "Believe it or not, he didn't do this… "

The youth's tunic is shredded at the top and hangs down in ragged strips, his belt the only thing holding it on. His tights, boots, undershirt and hat are nowhere to be seen. The draconic wings sprouting from his shoulders stretch out wide before folding against his back and his tail settles after a moment, leaving Zelda with no distractions from his odd, hybridized state. Dark scales cover most of Green's chest, his skin bare over the upper left half including the area over his heart. His left arm is human save for a spiral of lighter-colored—perhaps they're translucent?—scales twirling around his skin like a tattoo, the Triforce of Courage glowing gently on the back of his hand—his nails seem a bit sharper, though. Like with Shadow and Vio, one fifth of it shines gold: the innermost sliver. His Four Sword is in his hand, his fingers clenching it tightly as if he's afraid to let go. The transformed teen's right arm is entirely draconic, complete with small talons, and completely covered in scales, as are his legs. His feet are changed as well, talon-equipped toes latching firmly into the dirt for support.*

"You… what do you mean, he did not do this to you? If Gufuu is not the villain, then who…?"

"_**What, did you think I would honestly go to the trouble of disguising myself as a woman and place one of the heroes, in the form of a cursed, mind-lost monster in my own palace to threaten myself and Vaati, and then rescue said hero**_ at the risk of my own life and limb_**?"**_ Gufuu's voice scoffs, carried to her by the wind, _**"What do you take me for, some senseless village idiot?"**_

"Where…?"

"We made a little makeshift camp over on the other side of the river," Green explains quickly as Zelda begins looking around frantically for the demon-man, wary of attack. "He flew over there while you were distracted by the lightshow."

She calms, looking back up at her friend—he seems to have gone through a growth spurt, as he's a few inches taller—, and finally manages to meet his gaze. Light blue-green eyes look sheepishly back at her as Green fidgets, the small scales covering the tips of his ears—they're longer and thinner now than they were a month ago, as if he's suddenly become an adult—glinting in the moonlight. There are even some small, most-likely-translucent scales scattered across his face.

"Your eyes have changed as well… Goddesses, Green, what _happened_? May I summon a light and take a closer look?"

"G-go ahead… I'm not really sure what happened, really. I drew the Four Sword, and then this woman attacked me from behind…"

"That matches what I already know," Zelda nods.

"Huh?"

She calls up a ball of light and sends it a ways up into the air to shine down on them, revealing Green in all his half-dragon, half-Hylian glory. His skin has taken on a light tan, his hair as blonde as ever—it's a mess, with a sprout-shaped cowlick sticking up in the back—, and the scales covering most of his skin are a deep emerald green. Somehow, she wonders how she didn't see that one coming. His wings are green, too, but a lighter shade and a bit more blue-tinted. The scales on his left arm, face, and ears are indeed translucent and seem to serve only to accent his features.

"Does it feel strange, being like this?" Zelda asks tentatively. "Does it… does it hurt?"

Green shakes his head morosely, fiddling with a loose thread dangling from the torn, mangled tunic. "No. The new limbs are taking some getting used to, but I feel fine. Being a dragon hurt like nothing you can imagine when I was trapped in that form, though."

"So the dragon in the Wind Palace was truly you?"

"Yeah…"

Green lets out a ragged sigh, his hands trembling. "It was horrible… I was completely overwhelmed. There was so much pain, so much anger… What little piece of me that was still conscious could do nothing but watch helplessly. I- I couldn't even recognize you, Zel. Sure, you're in Sheikah clothes, but… Farore, I'm a damn _monster_! A mindless beast who can't even tell friend from foe! Why aren't you angry, or horrified, or anything? Seeing me like this…!"

"Green, you are in no way a monster or mindless beast," Zelda sighs. "You were not in control of yourself, the curse was. Blaming yourself for it won't do you any good, will it?"

"You-you don't get it, Zel! I nearly ripped Gufuu's arm off, _after_ I had control of my body again! I attacked a defenseless _child_!"

Zelda smacks him clear across the face. "Snap out of it, Green! You were disoriented, in a panic! You didn't know what was going on, and so you lashed out to defend yourself. You're not the only one who's done so, countless folk have, even me."

"Ha! Now I know you're just trying to make me feel better. You wouldn't hurt a Keese," the teen chuckles hollowly, not even reacting to the slap.

"I am not lying to you, you stubborn dolt! Green, please… Don't be like this. Let me help you!" she pleads.

His eyes harden. "Zelda, I'm a _monster_. You can't change that now."

"Green…!"

"Just accept it!" he snarls, stalking away from her and into the clearing proper. "What was it you called me, 'Aerolvia'? I'm _that_ now! I'm not 'Link'; I'm not even _'Green'_ anymore! You can't help me! No one can!"

"You're wrong—"

"You wanted to see me properly, right?" Green snaps, cutting her off. "Well, here you go, Your Royal Highness! Take a good, long look at the monster I've become!"

He jabs his sword into the soft, loose dirt and releases his grip on its hilt, stepping away as a green light zips out of the weapon and into his hand: the Wind Element. Then he _roars_, a fierce gale blasting forth from him that nearly sends Zelda flying right into the river.

* * *

><p>Vio bolts out of his cot as a loud roar shatters the peaceful aura that shrouded this formerly calm, quiet evening and shakes Shadow awake. The violetette rolls over, mumbling something incomprehensible, and he groans, shaking him harder.<p>

"I sssswear, you could ssssleep through Death Mountain blowing itssss top!" he complains, unconsciously hissing the S's like a snake would in his agitation. "Didn't you hear that roar? Come ON, Shadow, get UP!"

"Don' wanna…"

Another roar, accompanied by a strong gale equivalent to the prelude to a hurricane, shakes the cottage and both teens can hear the tinkling crash of glass bottles falling from their shelves and smashing to pieces against the floor downstairs.

"Wha—!" Shadow yelps, his eyes flicking wide open at last. "What was THAT?"

Vio wordlessly scoops up his Four Sword from next to his cot and holds it up. The blade is pulsing with a fierce white light, resonating with the presence of one of its kin.

Shadow scowls, sitting up on his little pallet.

"Guess the eyeball bastard didn't 'subdue the dragon' after all," he grumbles, reaching for his belt, boots and hat to quickly get dressed as Vio turns away to do the same with his clothes.

Footsteps clatter against wood as Honey bursts into the small room, her eyes wide with fright and panic. The young witch-in-training is wearing a simple brown nightgown, her dark green hair frazzled and tangled with bedhead.

"D-d-did you two HEAR that?" she yelps, "There's gotta be a monster outside!"

"Stay here with Syrup, Honey," Vio orders calmly, strapping his sword to his back. "We'll handle this."

"Y-you mean you're going to FIGHT it?"

Shadow grins, securing his own blade and his Dark Mirror Shield and stretching, his eyes gleaming. "Somethin' like that."

* * *

><p>Green's form distorts before Zelda's shocked eyes, rapidly becoming something entirely inhuman. In mere moments, a serpentine dragon rears up where the hybrid teen once stood. It languidly stretches its two pairs of wings out wide, the smaller of the two about a third of the way up its body from the tip of its tail. Its hind legs are slender (though thicker than its arms), sharp talons digging into the dirt for balance, while its arms are strangely humanoid, even bearing hands complete with opposable thumbs. Its ears fan out much like a Zora's and its muzzle is long and almost beak-like, housing small nostrils above a mouth full of jagged fangs. Its scales are the same emerald tone they were in Green's mixed form, shimmering with a silver tint in the moonlight as the dragon glares down at Zelda with bright, slightly slitted green eyes. The creature is very long, at least thrice Green's height from head to tail and it's definitely angry.<p>

"The Cursed Wind Dragon, Aerolvia…" Zelda whispers.

'_Was my Triforce trying to warn me of this? Green…!'_

"_**Understand now, Zelda? I. AM. A. MONSTER!"**_ the dragon roars harshly, rearing up and taking to the air with a motion that can only be described as 'flowing', its serpentine body elegantly traversing the sky with a grace that seems to come as naturally as breathing.

"Green, WAIT! Please, don't run away!" Zelda cries out, trying to run after the dragon only to be knocked over yet _again_—Goddesses, she is getting so very sick of that—when it spits a weak tornado at her from its mouth.

"_**Go home, Zelda. You don't belong out here, fighting for your life against monsters. Don't bother chasing me; I honestly don't care what you have to say right now."**_

"B-but—!"

"_**Go HOME,"**_ Green—no, _Aerolvia_ snarls, ignoring her pleas as it turns towards a particularly thick patch of clouds drifting suspiciously slowly through the sky off in the direction of Deepwood Shrine.

Zelda collapses to her knees, fighting back tears.

"Hey!" a voice calls. "Are ya okay, princess?"

She keeps her stinging, watering eyes trained on the sky as Shadow dashes into the clearing, followed by a more wary Vio. They're just in time to see Aerolvia leave, the dragon's shadow covering them for a moment as it streaks off towards the odd clouds. Not once does it look back.

Vio flicker-blinks, stunned. "Was that…?"

Zelda nods, not trusting herself to speak, and buries her face in her hands. Soft, muffled sobs slip out from her shaking form as the violet-clad teen stands there awkwardly, unsure how to comfort her, or if he even _can_.

"Err, Your Highness…" he tries, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder.

Zelda slaps it away without a word, batting at him with her bandage-wrapped hands and Vio wisely steps back to give her some space.

"Incoming," Shadow announces suddenly, his gaze fixed on a point across the wide, calm river.

A tall figure with four ragged black bat wings sprouting from its back touches down in the clearing a few moments later, carrying a small, white-clad form. Vaati follows soon after, riding the wind.

Shadow stares, completely stunned by the Wind Demon's new look. "Whoa..."

Vio takes one glance at the soundly snoozing little boy slung over the demon-man's good shoulder and lets out a faintly amused snort. "Shadow, I admit I was more than a bit skeptical before about what you said about this kid, but all my doubt's gone now. He's _definitely_ related to you. No one else could ever be such a ridiculously deep sleeper."

"Uh, Vio, I don't think now's the time," Shadow replies, actually seeming subdued for once.

"…Yeah…" the blonde says sheepishly, shooting a glance at the softly sobbing Zelda. "Farore, this is awkward."

Vaati stands by quietly, his almond-shaped eyes gazing pensively at the sky as the dark-haired man carefully bends down and gently slides his sleeping passenger to the grass. Wish seems completely unharmed except for a ripped glove, a thin loop of bandages around his left hand.

Gufuu awkwardly totters his way over to Zelda on unsure feet and unsteady legs, clearly not at all used to even having them, let alone walking.

"I apologize," he begins, "I did not realize—"

"Shut up, you filthy _demon_!" Zelda wails as her tumultuous emotions find an outlet in the form of anger and an all-too-convenient scapegoat, blasting the unfortunate wind wielder in the face with a concentrated beam of light magic.

Gufuu falls backwards with an odd mix between a groan and a yelp, the force of the attack combined with his own lack of experience with being bipedal sending him toppling to the ground. The Minish boy with him growls, magic beginning to gather at his fingertips.

_**DON'T, Vaati. She is distraught. I will not die from this. Better that the Princess harms me than herself or any other frail Hylian***_ Gufuu transmits telepathically to his 'host'.

Vaati growls quietly, but steps down.

"How dare you, you fiendish, hideous, stupid _freak of nature_!" Zelda yells, pouncing on the defenseless man(?) before anyone else can act and tearing at the bloodied bandages around his wounded arm with her fingers. "ALL OF THIS IS YOUR FAULT!"

He bites back a scream at the sharp stabs of pain tearing through the already-flayed limb and, with strength of will that is truly admirable, simply bears it as best he can. "H-hit me all you would like, Princess. It matters not to me—"

"Shut UP!" she shrieks angrily. "Because of you, Green thinks he's a _monster_! You and that stupid _arm_! I bet you _LET_ him hit you, you hellish abomination! Worthless parasite!"

Shadow notices Vaati tensing out of the corner of his eye as he and Vio each take an arm and drag Zelda off of Gufuu, the princess kicking and shrieking the entire way.

_Gufuu, I'm going after him,_ Vaati declares silently. _That or punching the princess in the face… or maybe a curse or two…_

_**Cursing the Princess will not make her dislike me any less, Vaati.**_

_I know, I know…_

She soon manages to kick Vio off, winding him with a hit to his stomach and leaving Shadow to fend off her wild, violent flailing.

"Cut it OUT, ya crazy girl!" the red-eyed groans as he barely manages to avoid being punched in the face. "Hitting the eyeball bastard isn't gonna bring Green back!"

Zelda bursts into tears again and tackles him to the ground, hugging the poor, trapped Shadow and wailing hysterically.

_**Go now, Vaati, I doubt she will assault me again. Be careful.**_

_I will if you will. Bring them back up tomorrow, preferably without HER. I'll make sure he's calm by then…_

Vio, being the only one still on his feet, staggers as a tornado-strength gust of wind suddenly blasts up into the sky, sending him to his knees. He lets out a soft hiss of pain as the shallow cuts lacing his lower legs sting fiercely in protest, his brows wrinkling in disgust as he registers a faint, coppery taste on his tongue, mixed in with the dirt and grass.

'_They reopened... It's pretty gross to think of myself 'tasting' my own blood like a snake would, but at least it's useful. Otherwise, I wouldn't have become aware of it until the bandages were soaked through,'_ he muses. _'…Gufuu's blood 'tastes' odd…'_

Shadow whistles, impressed, as he watches the wind—or rather, the pale purple blur being carried by it— race off the way Aerolvia went. "Damn, that brat's _fast_."

Vio cuffs him in the head, effectively shutting him up.

A heavy silence descends, broken only by Zelda's tears…

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Poor Gufuu… poor Zelly, too. Green is pretty out of it at the moment… Considering his heroic nature and his reaction to both attacking the Knight Valenzuela (why the **** do I remember his name?) and defeating his father in the manga, Green having a freak-out at hurting people is fairly understandable. Note that Zelda never got a chance to tell him about Vio or Shadow… He probably thinks his fellow heroes were hurt because of him, too. His destination, in case I haven't made it obvious enough, is the Palace of Winds, and Vaati chased after him. Vaati has _not_ seen Green's human form yet, by the way. …Err… Please don't kill me for all the angst in this chapter… And yeah, Zelda REALLY doesn't like Gufuu. It is very childish of her, and him pointing that out doesn't help matters… I think the poor Wind Demon may be an injury magnet…

**Cursed Wind Dragon Aerolvia:** May I introduce Green's 'monster' form~? I based the name around "Volvagia" and used 'aero' to denote wind, just like Volvagia brings to mind 'volcano'. He's sort of like a Chinese dragon in that he's very long and serpentine, but he's no snake. Flexible, yes, but nowhere near as flexible as Vilock is. He can't really coil in full loops, for example. Aerolvia, though he's a dragon, cannot breathe fire—he's a _wind_ dragon, after all. Instead, he spits tornados. Even though he looks fairly bipedal with the hand-claws, he can walk on them easily, and can scale walls with a fair amount of ease, though not nearly as well as a spider. He's very quick and graceful in the air and climbs up columns more easily than any spider could do to his flexibility, making the Palace of Winds a surprisingly ideal location for him. He's a bit clumsy on the ground just because of the distance between his front and hind legs.

**Green's dragon-Hylian form:** Dunno if I'll ever have a chance to mention this in the main fic unless Vaati ever gets to speak to Green's dad, but for my fic, Green's mom was one of the Wind People. Her magic was passed down to him and laid dormant until he was hit by the mysterious vindictive woman's curse. Combined with the natural magic of his Hylian heritage and that of a Four Sword Wielder aligned to Wind, it formed a sort of 'wild' magic he doesn't have any real control over yet. As a result, his body is stuck in between forms even with his Four Sword restored. He can also change back into full dragon mode with the aid of a bit of a boost from the Wind Element—once he's in dragon form, it just hides in his body and helps manage the wild magic. In his hybrid state, he is fully capable of holding the Wind Element in his bare hands and can even transfer its energy to others. It's pretty much all done on instinct; he doesn't really know what he's doing at all. This is part of why he couldn't resist the curse at all, while Vio was even able to speak—Vio, having lived with Syrup and Honey for a year (and because he's a bookworm), already knew about basic spell casting and such and did his best to undermine the curse. Green has no such knowledge—he doesn't even realize he's using a transformation spell of sorts to begin with. His sudden signs of puberty aren't caused by magic, though—he actually hit it. Lol…

**Gufuu's demon quirks:** Gufuu and Vaati can speak directly to each other in their minds because of Gufuu's parasitic origins (he's more of a (benevolent) symbiotic being than a parasite now, really). They prefer normal speech in most cases, though. Gufuu's little flying eyeballs are basic 'minions' created with a small piece of his magic and vary in size and horn shape (which includes two black horns (Four Swords manga version) and headdress-horned in either gold (Minish Cap game version (Vaati's Wrath)) or black (Four Swords game version). They serve as scouts, communication aids, and cute little flying black eyeballs that coo softly when happy. They love their 'daddy' (creator) very much and like to perch on him, and are also quite fond of Vaati's hair. Since he's a demon, Gufuu is naturally sturdier than a true Hylian (actually, so is Vaati due to his background as a Minish) to begin with and heals fast. It's not instant regeneration, but still much faster. For example, a broken bone ( a clean break, mind) which would take weeks-to-months to heal normally for a Hylian would probably only take a week or two for him (without Red Potion, etc.). With the help of his magic or other healing resources, it'd take a day. He also has a fairly high pain tolerance, though Zelda clawing at already-open wounds clearly is still very agonizing for him. As for Gufuu's wings, they are a manifestation of his magic and not a permanent physical part of him (hence the lack of slits in his clothing), hence they don't bleed. They act more like a magic barrier when attacked than limbs. And finally, as for his klutziness… in the manga, when Gufuu masquerades as Zelda, he encounters the General while standing still. When he encounters the Four Sword heroes, he's 'dramatically' slumped on the stairs. In my odd little mind, I can picture him tripping clumsily on the stairs due to spending his entire life as a legless flying eyeball, having originally intended to dramatically cling to one of the Links (and therefore give him a chance to attack, too) after running down them to the quartet, and simply improvising after he fell. It'd make a pretty funny omake in my opinion… Anyway, basically, Gufuu is used to having arms, yes, but not legs. Being land-bound is not the norm for him. It's all he can do to stand without falling over, and he stands pretty damn stiffly, too. It also explains his tendency to go barefoot.

* * *

><p>That's all for Chapter Nine. Please review, I really appreciate the feedback.<p> 


	11. Chapter 10: What is a Monster?

**AN:** Meh, this took a little while… Sorry. If ya'll review more, I'll have more ideas and motivation… *sigh*

Many Thanks To:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

* * *

><p><span>Chapter 10:<span> What is a "Monster"?

"Umm, is she okay? And who's this?" Honey asks worriedly as Shadow and Vio return with a quiet, miserable-looking 'Sheik' and a little boy in white. The sad red-eyed warrior is holding a bandage-wrapped blade to her chest, the stone in its pommel a dead-looking gray. The newcomer, though, is fast asleep, seeming quite comfortable being carried piggyback by Shadow.

"The little Picori boy is missing, too… What happened out there? Did you scare away the monster?"

"It's… complicated," Vio sighs.

"The danger's gone now," Shadow reassures her. "Well, except for the stupid eyeball bastard, but I'm pretty sure he passed out."

"Eyeball…?" Honey echoes, confused.

"Again, it's complicated," Vio says quickly. "We can talk about it in the morning, alright? It's best if we all just get some sleep now."

"O-okay…"

* * *

><p>Bare feet tap quietly against stone tile as Vaati touches down at the entrance to the Palace of Winds*, unfazed by the massive stone doors that bar his path. They swing open smoothly at a single light touch of the Minish boy's hand and he makes his way inside, the doors grinding shut behind him once more.<p>

He makes his way through the calm, breezy halls with ease, idly checking on the handful of Armos Statues* that remain—all dormant, rusty and likely in dire need of maintenance—as he walks past them and making a mental note to get them up and running again later after everything calms down so they can help keep the Palace monster-free for once.

After all, he plans to return here with Gufuu to live in peace and quiet once the mysterious woman who tried to possess him and is attacking these new Links has been dealt with, far from the cruel eyes of those who see them as freaks. It wouldn't be right for the place the Wind Tribe entrusted him with to be infested with nasty creatures _again_ now that he was finally able to do something about it, and it would be nice to finally prove Hyrulean 'common knowledge' wrong by successfully keeping this shrine pure and untainted by evil.

"(I never did understand why people keep letting the holiest places in both worlds become overrun by beasts in the first place…)" the boy muses aloud in Minish, momentarily distracted with plans for the future.

He pauses, letting out a small chuckle as he directs his gaze up at the ceiling of the passage he's currently in. "(Then again, there's a dragon here at the moment, so does that mean the Palace already has a 'boss'? Hihi!)"

* * *

><p>Zelda settles onto the couch again, exhausted both emotionally and physically at this point. Green's Four Sword has been placed underneath the piece of furniture, secured with a spell that will instantly wake her if it's disturbed. Sighing pensively, she reaches up to brush some hair out of her face and freezes, shuddering at the sight of the 'dirt' under her fingernails: Gufuu's blood. She'd been able to wipe her hands on the grass, but in those tiny crevices between nail and skin, the evidence of what she'd done remains.<p>

"…Monster, huh…" she whispers.

'_I'm the monstrous one, Green, not you. Demon or no, Gufuu didn't even fight back…! First I was useless and captured, and now that I can fight for myself, all I've done is make things worse…!'_

"…You're right… I shouldn't be here," Zelda whispers, dropping her hand to her side and closing her eyes. "Tomorrow, I'll go back to the castle… You clearly don't want to see me right now. I hope that strange boy, Vaati, can somehow talk some sense into you…"

'_He chased after Green right into the sky, riding the wind with impossible ease, and what with the level of magic I sense from him… Maybe those two are telling the truth. No matter how hard I try, I can't even sense any evil from Gufuu any longer… But what in the name of Nayru did he mean?'_

"All he would say was, "Vaati is probably the only person in Hyrule who could possibly understand"… He wasn't even worried about him being in danger or anything."

Zelda sighs heavily, a dizzying mix of emotions spinning through her head. Confusion, frustration, sadness… Jealousy, too—that 'Minish' boy chased after Green without any fear at all, and supposedly he'd be able to help her friend where she'd oh-so-spectacularly failed… it isn't fair!—and guilt for being jealous of the strange child she doesn't even know.

"Not only that, but that boy said he's the reason the Four Sword was created… What in Hyrule could he possibly have in common with Green that he can help him when I can't…?"

'_Vaati, just who are you, really?'_

* * *

><p>The little Minish boy's tail twitches suddenly and he sneezes before continuing on his way.<p>

He soon reaches Gufuu's bedchamber and flies up through the open skylight into a maze of columns and open-air 'rooms', the wind whispering his quarry's location to him and helpfully guiding him along.

He finds the dragon curled up gloomily on a balcony looking out over the clouds, staring up at the moon with its back (or at least the back of its head) to him.

"Pico! (Hello!)"

"_**Oh, this is just great. I guess I can SPEAK monster now, too…"**_ Aerolvia snorts, flicking its tail in annoyance.

"_**Of COURSE something would come bug me even in a deserted place like this…"**_ the emerald-toned dragon grumbles, not even gracing his unwanted company with a glance. _**"High-pitched, kinda squeaky voice… Let me guess, a Keese?"**_

"(K-Keese…?)"

The Minish boy bursts into laughter, tears pricking at the corners of his berry-red eyes. "(Actually, I just forgot to speak Hylian, but since animals naturally understand Minish and you think this palace has no master anymore, you assumed you must be talking to a monster… And of all the things you could mistake me for; you think I'm a _Keese!_ Hihi… Oh, Farore, that's just… Hihihihihi!)"

"_**What? What the heck is 'Min'—?"**_

The dragon's long neck curves elegantly as it turns to face him at last and Aerolvia freezes, bright green eyes widening in shock at the sight of a small, strange little boy that, though he's clearly some race Green's never seen before, is most certainly not a monster.

"_**HUH? Y-you're…! You're that statue from the room I fell into back then!"**_*

Vaati blinks owlishly, tilting his head to the side.

'_He's… seen me before? Does that mean that fuzzy dream I had was real…?'_

"_**Umm, uh… I looked different then, so you probably don't recognize me, but…"**_ Aerolvia fumbles sheepishly,_** "you, umm, you're not a statue now, so, uh, I mean, well… what… what are you? Did Gufuu make you to take care of the Palace or something?"**_

"Now you think I'm a magic puppet like an Armos," the lavender-haired boy giggles, "what's next, a fairy, or, Goddesses forbid, Gufuu's pet project?"

"_**You must think I'm crazy now… I give up. I really shouldn't have even said that… Umm… who and/or what are you, then?"**_ Aerolvia asks.

The boy smiles brightly, not seeming at all bothered by the phrasing—he knows the dragon means his race by 'what'. "(I'm a Minish, also known as Picori. We're tiny-but-sturdy creatures usually about the size of your thumb who live to help humans, including things like hiding Rupees in the grass. My name is Vaati, and I guess you could say I'm a wind sorcerer.)"

The dragon blinks. _**"But I don't have thumbs, I'm a dragon—wait, did you just say WIND SORCERER?"**_

Vaati nods.

The serpentine creature tenses, a low, rumbling noise rolling from its throat in warning. _**"If you're not a housecleaning doll, then what's your relation to Gufuu? And how did you find me? Are you an ally of that lady that attacked me?"**_

"(Of course not, she stuck you here to attack Gufuu and me in the first place. I _hate_ people who obsess over obtaining power like her…)" the child growls right back, his eyes flashing ruby.

He doesn't give Aerolvia a chance to process the information, quickly changing the subject.

"(By the way, you really shouldn't abandon your weapon like that. You're disrespecting the Four Sword.)"

The dragon may as well have turned to stone as it stares at the small Minish boy, not moving a muscle.

"_**You…"**_ it begins in a low, quietly dangerous rumble, _**"you KNOW. You knew all along!"**_

Aerolvia begins to back away, preparing to flee.

"(Of course I knew. I was right there with Gufuu. Funny, seeing as you were calling yourself a monster just because you hurt a demon when it was his own fault for walking instead of flying when he can barely stand without tripping over his own feet. Not that you are one to begin with…)"

"_**Don't you start with that too,"**_ Aerolvia growls, its voice kicking up one notch closer to an angry roar._** "You don't even know me at all!"**_

"(Maybe not, but you're no monster. For one thing, that form is beautiful.)"

"_**Then I'm a beast. Go away before you get hurt, little boy."**_

"(I'm not going anywhere,)" Vaati retorts, "(not that you could hurt me as easily as you think anyway. I'm not going to just sit by and watch you tear yourself apart over a lie.)"

"_**You don't know what you're talking about. This is your last warning: leave!"**_

Vaati looks down at the stone floor, twirling his hair between his fingers.

"(…I know what it's like,)" the boy whispers quietly.

Aerolvia hears him anyway. _**"Know what what's like?"**_

"(Being a monster.)"

* * *

><p>Zelda's dreams that night are ominous indeed, filling her with an all-too-familiar thrill of prophesied danger soon to come.<p>

_She's in a dark castle, looking at a boy in green—the same one she saw earlier in the woods, who Vaati claimed was the legendary Forger. On his head is a green hat(?) with the head of a bird, squawking angrily at the sneering youth with cold red eyes._

_A scream becomes a sob…_

"_N-no…! I don't… I don't want this…! I never wanted this…! I… I just…! Please… I-I don't want to be a monster…!"_

_A trembling, shadowy form she can't make out, its voice that of a man overlaid with a sobbing, high-pitched child…_

_The sound of tearing, accompanied by a change in the blurry figure's shape…_

"…_P-pl…ease… …h…elp… …m-me… …I-I… …I… can't… …M-… Ma…st…r… …L…nk…"_

_She stares into a single, huge red eye, stretching vertically across a torso made of empty shadow like an ugly scar… For a moment, a crying child is reflected off its surface, and is just as quickly gone._

"_**DIE!"**__ the adult voice snarls, taking control…_

_A familiar holy blade gleams brightly in the boy in green's hand._

"_You don't need some magic item to be strong! Was that even your true wish, one that warped even the power it gave? Let me show you! I'll cut right through that darkness with my __**own**__ power!"_

_Everything fades to white and suddenly there's a crying child slumped on the grass as the sun shines down…_

"_Master… Link… I am so, so sorry."_

_Time skips forward and the blonde holds out his hand._

"_You're not alone anymore, okay? We're friends now!"_

_The familiar purple child responds with a look of utter shock that makes her want to cry._

"_Y-you… what are you… saying…? L-look at me…! I did so many th-things, and I-I'm a f-freak, and, and— Y-you can't possibly mean that!"_

_A bright smile from the blue-eyed boy in green reassures the child… "Of course I mean it!"_

_The Minish boy—__**Vaati**__—takes his hand with a teary-eyed yet hopeful smile…_

_And then…_

_It changes._

_This is the past no longer._

_She watches helplessly, ever so helplessly as she's always been, telling herself over and over and over again that this is still just a dream and praying to the Goddesses that it ends soon._

_An unnatural, twisted laugh fills the air, drowning out the sound of choked sobs and a single scream…_

_The Palace of Winds topples from the clouds, crushing the forest below…_

_Darkness erupts into the sky and chokes the land…_

_A dragon roars in anguish, its claws covered in blood…_

_A broken headdress, a body warped and broken and missing pieces…_

_Rubble stained crimson, a limp, pale hand marked with the Triforce clutching another…_

_Matted violet hair and pale blonde, a crushed body in clothes that were once white…_

_A blonde boy with red-stained hands lies motionless, a gaping hole in his chest dripping with yet more blood—his own—and a sickly greenish-purplish liquid that can't be anything but venom…_

_Empty eyes staring sightlessly at her, hollow and dead…_

_Dead…_

_Green, __**dead…!**_

Zelda wakes up screaming.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:<strong> Hey look, more angst! Sure, there are some bits of humor (and me hinting at the Green x Vaati pairing and destroying all hope for Green x Zelda already!), but the main parts of this chapter are angst. Sorry, but it kind of had to happen… How could it not when the point of this chapter is to peek into what it means to be a 'monster'? As for poor Zelda and her prophetic dreams… The first half of Zelda's dream looks into Vaati's past, hinting at what is needed to prevent the second half of the dream from becoming a reality in the near future. The second half is undoubtedly a worst-case scenario, though, so who knows? Has anyone guessed how I'm gonna torture poor Vaati this time? Or who the enemy lady is? Come on, people, pleeeeeeeaaaase review…

**About the Palace of Winds:** In both the game and manga, the doors to the Palace of Winds would not open without the four Royal Jewels (they're basically miniature jewelry versions of the four Elements of Minish Cap), which were held by the Knights. Of course, this only applies to the Links and any other prospective intruder— Vaati is just as much the Palace's master as Gufuu is and doesn't need any sort of key to gain entry. The Wind People, who are the original owners of the Palace of Winds, approve of Gufuu's ownership/custodianship of their old temple and are glad someone's been taking care of it all this time. I'm toying with the idea that the reason Gufuu inhabited the Palace in the first place was because Vaati's 'statue' was there—perhaps the Wind People thought Vaati (and the demon that was born from him, luckily) would take good care of the place… Since the Wind People and the Minish seem to have always gotten along well, the idea works, I think. Vaati wants to do a good job as a caretaker and has made it a personal goal to keep the Palace free of evil since it seems like every shrine he's ever heard of always ends up in the clutches of some dark force. In the Minish Cap game, the Palace of Winds floated above the Wind People's house/home in the clouds and housed the Wind Element. In the Four Swords manga, it is heavily implied that Sky-Tall Tower is the Palace of Wind's tallest spire and probably the central tower, so that's what it is in my fic. In the game, I think Sky-Tall Tower is actually the connection between the Palace and the ground. Since this version of the Palace of Winds is free to roam the sky, that wouldn't work, so the Tower is part of the Palace instead of being beneath it. As to how Gufuu's bedroom can be at the heart of Sky-Tall Tower and yet be open to the sky… this is the Palace of Winds. It's bound to have many open-air areas, so I had a bit of fun with artistic design choices. Gufuu's skylight in his bedchamber doesn't open to empty air, though it's open enough to the sky for a weather barrier to be necessary. Instead, it opens up into a maze of open-air floors and 'chambers' full of columns, catwalks and balconies and designed with multiple possible routes for a creature Gufuu's size. Some of these are dead ends, of course, but others lead to various balconies (generally used as 'launch pads' by flying residents) all over the Palace. Gufuu's private wing of halls and chambers is completely surrounded by the web of airy architecture, which continues up several stories with staircases running up it in some places and entrances to the more solid sections of the place in others. The column maze ends several stories below Zelda's pavilion, though. The magic woven into the stones of the Palace make it easy for such crazy architecture to work—everything _is_ floating in the sky, after all, so keeping the solid rooms to a minimum makes floating easier.

**Armos Statues:** In Minish Cap, these statues were made by the Minish as gifts to the Wind People to guard their old home on the ground (the Wind Fortress and the Castor Wilds around it). It only makes sense that there'd be some in the Palace of Winds, too. They're all dormant and worn down with age at the moment, but Vaati intends to fix that and set them to eliminate any pesky monsters that dare try to infest the Palace. He runs maintenance by shrinking down to his natural size and going inside the Minish-sized door they have in them: in other words, climbing up the ladder their shields provide and straight into their face while they're dormant. They're programmed not to attack Minish to begin with, and since Vaati is essentially a 'master' of the Palace of Winds (and in extension, of them), they'd never attack him anyway. Armos Statues are also known as Armos Knights or simply Armos. They show up in many Zelda games, even Four Swords, but I felt that having the Minish Cap design of them in Vaati's 'home turf', so to speak, would be more appropriate. Gufuu probably takes care of the Four Swords version of them (since they don't have the Minish door) if there are any in the Palace.

**Green seeing Vaati in statue form before:** In the manga, Green is shown climbing up the side of a wall and onto flat floor after Gufuu sends the four Links tumbling down into the Palace and separates them. This is when he meets 'Vio' (Shadow in disguise). I figured hey; why not have him fall into Gufuu's room… Green landing in Gufuu's nest can explain how he wasn't hurt by the fall, and that way there can be some small connection between the two of them already~… Vaati's 'dream' was simply him awakening the tiniest bit in response to the Four Sword's proximity. When he did, he sensed a familiar presence nearby (Green, who felt familiar to him because he's MC Link's direct descendant) and ended up dreaming that a somehow familiar blonde boy with bright blue eyes was staring sadly at him, though he couldn't see or in any way perceive himself. In Vaati's 'sleeping' state, he didn't really remember anything… His mind was still pretty much dormant at the time.

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><p>That's all for Chapter Ten. Please review, I really appreciate the feedback.<p> 


	12. 11: Brave, Foolish, Wonderful Apprentice

**AN:** Sorry I took so long! First there were finals, then I couldn't find my flash drive that I keep this on, then I was back at college for a summer workshop and working nearly non-stop for a month… I'm home again now, though, though I'll be back in college for fall quarter in two weeks, so I finally have time to work on this fic. Incidentally, the title of this chapter was the same as the title of the picture I drew a while back to go with it, but that'll probably end up being the next chapter's title instead because I decided this would work better as a chapter leading up to the next instead of one long, unfocused monster-chapter. If the link to it isn't already on my profile, it will be shortly... After I write and post chapter 12, that is.

Many Thanks To:

**inuyasha 303** (AKA **LannaMisho** on DeviantArt) for inspiring me to write again!

**Kankoku-ssi** and **silverheartlugia2000** for sticking with me even after the two-year hiatus!

Disclaimer: …See prologue.

Enjoy~!

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><p><span>Chapter 11:<span> To My Brave, Foolish, Wonderful Apprentice

"Hey, are y' alright...?" a concerned yawn issues from behind the long curtain serving as a door between the front room of Syrup's cottage and the small den Zelda was sleeping in as the disguised princess sits huddled on the couch, trying to convince her body to stop shaking. It's a girl's voice, sleepy and laced with a slight country drawl a bit like Shadow's.

_'It must be the younger one, the apprentice witch,'_ Zelda realizes, hurriedly renewing the illusion on her eyes as the girl in question slips past the curtain, her dark green hair frizzy and tangled.

"Ev'ryone else's sleepin' like a rock, either that 'r Vio's just being lazy an' fakin' it. Dunno how they c'n sleep through a scream like that, though," Honey continues, ambling over to the 'Sheikah' and plopping onto the couch next to her with a yawn. "Tha' must've been one heck'f a nightmare, Miss Sheik; wanna talk about it?"

The frazzled blonde doesn't answer, ducking her chin into the loose folds of cloth pooled around her neck and fiddling with her wrist wraps.

"Alright, I'll take that as a nope," Honey shrugs, noting how the 'Sheikah' tenses as she not-so-subtly scoots a bit closer.

_'Sheesh, it's like dealin' with a wounded Octo 'r Keese all over again, all twitchy an' wound up tighter'n a spring in a clock! Are all not-Witch gals my age as jumpy as her, or jus' this poor kid?'_ the Witch-in-Training wonders to herself, deciding that giving the girl a pat on the shoulder probably won't end well with her so worked up.

"How 'bout a distraction, then?" she offers, grinning as her guest finally spares her a glance. "Vio's always complainin' about how much'f a chattercauldron I am, so why not put it t' use? Ask me anythin'!"

"Huh?"

"Ask me anything," Honey repeats carefully, her accent fading as she shakes off the last dregs of sleep. "Sorry, sometimes I forget most folk don't talk like we foresty types do, and I'm worse than usual when I'm drowsy. Usually talkin' about dreams makes folk feel better, but if ye don't wanna talk about your dream, I figure why not getcha thinking about something else instead? Sooo, ask me anything!"

The crying child from the first half of Zelda's vision comes to mind and she remembers how interested Vaati had been when Syrup mentioned a diary and a Picori Sage last night.

_'I need to understand what the two visions I dreamed had in common in order to keep the second from happening, and Vaati seems to be that factor... Could this journal hold the answers I need?'_

"Well," the 'Sheikah' begins hesitantly, "I admit I've been quite curious about the journal your teacher mentioned last night, and I've always enjoyed reading... Could I perhaps see it?"

"Well, I doubt you'll be able t' read it since it's all in some weird language, but sure, why not?" Honey agrees easily, hopping off the couch and scampering off into the workshop for a moment before returning with a battered old journal and handing it over.

"Thank you," Zelda mumbles, cracking it open with a small explosion of dust. A folded piece of parchment is wedged into the binding before even the first page, labeled with a string of foreign characters which, with the aid of the Triforce of Wisdom concealed beneath the bandages wrapped around Zelda's right hand, resolve into the words "To my brave, foolish, wonderful apprentice".

_'My deepest thanks to You, Nayru, for your continued guidance,'_ the princess prays gratefully as she carefully extricates the delicate, yellowed letter from the book and unfolds it to peruse its contents. She gives it all her attention, not noticing Honey get up with a secretive little grin and a whispered "Have fun, ninja Princess!" as she goes to wake the others.*

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><p>Vaati,<p>

_You have no idea how proud I am of you, boy, or how much you make me worry... One day, I hope- no, I __**know**__ you will be free again, and when that day comes I have no doubt you will head here, to our forest, and so I leave my journal to you, along with the spell to unseal our cottage._

_Of course, knowing you, the first thing on your mind when you wake up will be, "Did it work?! Is everyone safe?!" Well, stop worrying, because it did. Against all odds, it did. That thing that was in you escaped before I could dispose of it, unfortunately, but it was weak and formless and Link and Zelda have promised to keep an eye out for anything unusual going on, so I'm sure it'll be caught before it can cause any harm. The Light Force is still within you; the parasite couldn't take it, so no need to worry about that either._

_I thank the Goddesses the enchantment added to the Four Sword worked properly; it harmed only the parasite, not you. But that does not excuse how risky the idea was, not one bit, you her?! This plan of yours had so little chance of ending with you alive, and yet you executed it as stubbornly as ever without a lick of hesitation! Your life matters too, Vaati! Start acting like it or I'll have to knock some sense into you when I see you again!_

_I see no point in living all alone here in Hyrule or in our old home without my favorite foolish apprentice, so I'm off to the Elemental Sanctuary to wait for you. You'd better not take too long, you lazy boy!_

_Your Master,_

_The Great Sage Ezlo_

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><p>White eyes slip open to blearily greet the sunrise as Gufuu comes to, sitting up. He's covered in a thin layer of dew from lying in the grass all night, the moisture soothingly cool against what small amount of his skin is exposed, though it does make the fresh bandages someone must have applied to his injured arm while he was unconscious feel a bit clammy. The blurred world spins around him and he snaps his eyes shut with a pained groan, extending his hearing and magical senses to determine whether or not he's alone. The only living creatures nearby seem to be the fish in the river and a small gathering of Keese sleeping in a nearby tree.<p>

"…Of course…" the demon-man mumbles to himself sleepily, blindly tilting his head up towards the Keese. "I swear, those bats must believe I am some kind of kin to them… always flocking to gather nearby…"

Assured that no one is around to stumble upon him by accident and cause a panic, the raven-haired shape-shifter reaches up and removes his headdress with his good hand, his eyes closed the entire time. A strange black line arcs in a subdued smile across his forehead, formerly concealed by the headdress, and he sighs in relief as a familiar red eye slips open, his more human pair opening as well. Their pupils have disappeared, but otherwise they appear unchanged*.

"Now, to attend to my arm…" he mutters, much more relaxed now that he can see 'properly' again as he's accustomed to viewing the world.

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><p>"<em><strong>So you're saying that Shadow and Vio are with Zelda? And they're both back to normal?"<strong>_ Aerolvia asks curiously, settled down on the balcony to watch the sunrise. He's a lot calmer now than before, though the Minish boy had refused to elaborate on his comment about being a monster. Vaati is sitting next to the green dragon, the pair having been talking nonstop all night. He nods.

"(I wouldn't know what's normal for anyone, really, but Vio isn't a s—… sna—... isn't in the form he was locked in, if that's what you mean. If you'd looked back before flying away, you'd have seen them.)"

"_**How… How are they doing?"**_

The mousey child shrugs. "(You'll have to ask them yourself, sorry. By the way, Ae-... umm…)"

"_**Aerolvia,"**_ he supplies helpfully._** "I think Zelda's Triforce piece told her that, since she called me 'the cursed wind dragon Aerolvia' at one point… Did she call Vio something, too?"**_

"(Yes. Vio was 'the cursed earth s-serpent, Vilock. Anyway, I wanted to ask; what's your real name?)"

"…_**Green. Green Hylia."**_

Those berry-toned eyes focus entirely on the serpentine dragon, confusion written all over Vaati's face.

"(Not Link?)" he blurts, surprised.

"_**Well, I've been called Link most of my life, but it's really just my ancestor's name."**_

The dragon stares at the Minish boy quizzically and Vaati freezes, realizing his blunder too late.

"_**Wait, you expected me to be named Link? How do you even know that name? It's not exactly common…"**_

The look on Vaati's face as he goes chalk white before his face rapidly heats up to a blazing beet red is so utterly flabbergasted that Aerolvia wishes he had a Picto Box handy, deciding that even though he'd have to go back to 'being Green' to use it, it'd be more than worth it.

"(I-I, uhh, well, umm, I, uh…!)" the boy stutters incoherently, waving his skinny arms and looking for all the world like a frantic, purple Cuccoo.

And that is how the Palace of Winds becomes full of the rumbling laughter of a dragon boy.

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><p>"Pleas-se let me come wi-ith y-you!" the little whitette stutters, staring up at his 'big brother' with pleading eyes. "I can-n fight! I c-can, I-I swear-r!"<p>

Shadow sighs. "Please, just stay here with Honey and Syrup… We're just goin' to grab Green 'cause he's being stubborn, we'll be back before ya know it."

"B-but…!"

"Wish, was it?" Vio interrupts smoothly, kneeling down in front of the small boy.

"We don't think you're weak, I promise. It's just that we don't know anything about you, and we'll probably just be talking to Green anyway. Besides, Shadow's worried you could get hurt again if Green freaks out—"

"I-I am _not_!"

"Sure you aren't. —And we need someone to watch 'our friend's pet', that's all. Can you do that for us?"

The little mini flying-eyeball coos from its shelf, flapping its wings before settling again.

Wish pouts, but nods. "Ok-kay…"

"By the way," Vio comments as he stands, turning to his friend, "are you sure it was a good idea to let 'Sheik' go find 'our friend'?"

The violetette shrugs. "What was I supposed t' do, tell her no after that nightmare? It's got me twitchy and I didn't even have t' see it!"

"True…"

"Be careful, Vio," Honey calls as the two heroes leave the cottage, "you too, poison-hair!"

"I'll be fine, Honey. Keep an eye on Wish for us."

"Pffft… Poison-hair…"

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><p>Gufuu is halfway through unwrapping the bandages tied around his arm when he tenses, sensing a familiar presence.<p>

"…Good morrow, Your Highness," he sighs.

"You have three eyes," Zelda states blankly, staring at him from across the clearing.

"You have two," the demon-man replies calmly, continuing to release his arm from the winding strips of bloodied linen. "For what purpose did you seek me out? Surely not to gawk, I hope."

The blonde young woman takes a deep breath to steady herself. "What exactly is the 'Light Force'?"

All three of his eyes narrow. "What makes you believe I would know of it?"

"Because it has something to do with Vaati," Zelda replies smoothly. "As bearer of the Triforce of Wisdom, I am sometimes gifted with prophetic dreams. The one I was visited with last night was nothing short of a nightmare."

"And you believe this 'Light Force' will allow you to prevent it?"

She shakes her head. "Not exactly… I believe it will be the cause, actually."

A truly frightening look comes over Gufuu's face and he snarls, cursing under his breath.

"Then you do know of it," Zelda presses hurriedly, the demon-man's reaction only serving to intensify her worry.

"You seek transport to the Palace, then," he growls, letting the bandages fall to the ground and quickly healing his injury with a spell. Patches of skin on his upper arm are black like his hide was in demon form, but Zelda doesn't have time to stare as he turns and swiftly retrieves his headdress.

"Bring the Heroes and the sword. We leave at once."

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><p><strong>AN:<strong> I really, really am so sorry this took so long! Hope you enjoyed it, regardless...

**About Honey:** You're probably wondering how Honey knows who Zelda really is... It doesn't actually come out of nowhere, Honey just knows better than to try asking 'Sheik' if she's really the Princess Zelda because that would get her nowhere and it wouldn't help calm her down, either. It was just a suspicion at first, but Zelda being able to read Ezlo's journal confirmed it, especially since Honey was able to pick up on her use of the Triforce of Wisdom to do so. Honey and Syrup are witches, after all, so they can sense magic, just like how Gufuu was able to tell Zelda was watching him in chapter 9. Honey is also a lot more perceptive than she lets on, and though she's not bratty/slightly-malicious like her ancestor-and-inspiration, Maple/Mabel, she's just as sly and clever. Also, country accent because why not; she LIVES IN THE WOODS, of course she'll have some sort of hick drawl. It usually only comes out when she's too preoccupied to bother with carefully enunciating everything to keep it away (she's a bit self-conscious about it), like when giving first aid, practicing magic, in some sort of emergency/intense situation, etc., or when she's half-asleep. As for how she knows about royalty, etc., while being said 'forest-dwelling hick', SYRUP GETS CUSTOMERS. Generally travelers, etc., and Syrup and Honey both chat with their customers. Just because they live isolated from the hustle and bustle of Castle Town, it doesn't mean they're unaware of it. Vio is also a source of information of that sort, too.

**Gufuu's eyes and Keese:** He can choose which set of eyes he sees through and prefers to use the one on his forehead whenever possible since he's viewed the world through a single, _centralized_ eye his entire life. As he's still highly unused to no longer having Cyclops-style vision, he often gets a bit disoriented even with just one white eye open (because it's on the side of his face instead of in the middle), and depth perception makes him dizzy so he rarely opens both at once. Of course, the Wind Demon Gufuu is still fresh in the minds of Hyrule's citizens, so he hides his red eye most of the time to avoid causing a panic. If he could walk around in public with it visible and in use without attracting unwanted attention to himself, he would. As for why Keese follow him around like ducklings trailing after their mother, it has to do with his parasitic origins. After being forced out of Vaati's petrified body, the bodiless being that later became Gufuu wandered around Hyrule in search of a form that caught its interest. One day, it stumbled on a dying Keese, essentially ate it, and then decimated the local airborne/flying monster population for a bit until forming into the flying eyeball we all know and love to stab with sharp, pointy objects. I'm not quite sure where I got the idea for him eating other monsters (well, he wasn't a 'he' yet, the parasite wasn't really properly sentient until it became a flying eyeball), but I feel it suits him regardless. Essentially, I took the fact that Demon-Vaati/Vaati's Wrath/Gufuu has bat wings and sort of does look somewhat Keese-like and developed it into the theory that he actually based his form on a Keese to begin with. Having Keese think he's their momma just makes it a little more amusing and a little less morbid… But, yeah, if Gufuu's a separate entity from Vaati, his body had to come from _somewhere_, right? So his body having been built from other creatures makes sense to me. Like Dragon Quest Slimes merging into a King Slime, or Chuchus into a bigger/giant Chuchu, et cetera. The fact that he built himself into a flying eyeball is simply because the 'form Vaati hated most' was pretty much being used as a subconscious template. That form is Vaati's Wrath from the Minish Cap game, of course!

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><p>That's all for Chapter 11. Please review, I really appreciate the feedback<p> 


	13. Bonus Chapter: Asleep

**AN:** Whee, the plot bunnies got me again! Here, have a bonus piece for Shadowed Truth (REWRITTEN). I'm back at college now, but hopefully I'll have some time and inspiration soon to crank out the next real chapter!

This little thing takes place from before the prologue on to at least chapter 3-4, so I really have no idea how to number it... Where should I stick this in the chapter order? Between 2 and 3, maybe? Heeeelp. Until I figure out where, it'll be awkwardly stuck after chapter 11, sorry...

Many thanks to everybody as always... And, of course, **I still don't own LoZ and never will.**

Enjoy!

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><p><span>Bonus Chapter:<span> Asleep

Your name is Shadow Link. That much you're sure of. You're also very, very tired. But you can't sleep yet. The light warms and burns at the same time but you bear it long enough to send your message. When the Four Sword is returned Link's shadow will relay it for you... Wait, aren't _you_ Link's shadow? Yeah, you... you think so, anyway...

_"A shadow... ...usually only ever __**follows**__ its body. It never gets to lead the way..."_

It's really dark here... Dark and cold and quiet. Everything's black, including you. You're not sure where the dark ends and you begin, or where you end and the darkness begins. Maybe there is no you to end or begin at all. Maybe there's just the dark and cold and quiet and you're just... You don't even know. It's so hard to think. You're so, so tired. But... you can rest now, right? It's fine to rest, isn't it? You did what you wanted already.

_"He wanted to be with us... To be with his __**family**__."_

You... what was it you did, anyway...? You... saved someone, you think. Maybe a group of people...? Yeah, you saved them, you're sure of it... But you can't really remember their faces, or much of anything, really. Not anymore. You're just too tired. You really should rest...

_**"...nd the shadow... a traitor...!"**_

_"Shut up...! Don't y... dare... ...nsult him... ...ou pig...!"_

_"...s..."_

_"..."_

The far-off voices are drifting away...

Sleep... all you want to do is... rest a while...

You sink into the darkness and it swallows you whole.

_...Wake up... Please, wake up..._

...You're awake again. Maybe. There's not much of you left to awaken, really. You've been sleeping for a long time.

You don't know your name anymore. Maybe you never had one.

What's a 'you', anyway? There's just blackness here... Just dark and cold and quiet. You think maybe there were voices, once, but you can't remember. All you remember is darkness. You should just go back to sleep...

_Don't...!_

...Wait...

...What...? what... is that? It... it isn't darkness...

You don't understand. Darkness is all there is. Dark and cold and quiet and nothingness and sleep. You just... you just want to sleep...

The not-dark gets closer. It's so small, so far away, but somehow you know that it's what woke you up. Something about it calls to you, nudges at what little bit is left of your faded mind...

And you remember something.

Just a word. Just a single, tiny word...

_Light._

It doesn't mean anything to you. You don't know what it means. You don't remember. But it's making you feel strange... It's making you feel less tired.

It's... It's pushing the darkness away.

_Light... casts a shadow..._

The not-dark _-light-_ is getting closer...

It's reaching out to you.

_...When a shadow wished to become light..._

Deep down in the emptiness inside you, something that you didn't know was there shifts, stirs.

The emptiness wasn't always in you, you think. There was... There was something there, once.

You... the longer the not-dark _-the light...!-_ stays, the more certain you are of this.

You... You weren't always empty. You weren't always cold-nothing-darkness-quiet. There was something... Something else...

There was... _-...someone...-_

A whisper slips into the quiet.

_"...th...nk... ...y..."_

**A hand clenches tightly around a glass bottle full of tiny, precious sparks, just as it does every night, and a tear slips down one cheek...**

Is that... a voice...?

But... it's always quiet here. There have never been any voices here, because there's nothing here to reach. ...Right...?

Where is this feeling coming from...?

_"...pr...m...s... ...nd... way... ...ou ba..."_

**It was wrong. It was WRONG. He shouldn't have had to disappear... It just wasn't fair! There had to be a way to fix this, there just had to!**

Another whisper... It feels... feels... _-...so familiar...-_ you don't know how it feels, you don't remember, but something, something is... changing...

_"...on't... ...et yo... ...ade..."_

Something not-cold wraps itself around you. You remember another word.

_Warmth..._

This time, there's meaning to it. Just a little.

"Light" and "Warmth". They're... they're connected. Light... light brings warmth. Light... is warm...

_So much warmer than the dark..._

Is that what the not-dark is...? "Light"?

It's still so far away... You can feel yourself slipping again, just a little. Sleep is so, so tempting, but... You just don't want it anymore.

You... you want the light. You want it to come closer. You're not sure why, but you want to feel more of that warmth.

And it does.

_"...go now... ...see... ...again..."_

_**"I promise."**_

**A sword slides into stone and Courage splits once more to follow its chosen...**

Something _-golden gleaming shining so familiar-_ shoots through the black and pierces right through you. It's INSIDE YOU. Inside the emptiness.

That stirring thing that was hiding in there flares, sending a new sensation rushing through the torn, tattered fabric of your being. It's like warmth, but stronger. Too strong. It... hurts...!

_A fire begins with a tiny spark..._

If you knew what screaming was, that's surely what you'd do. You don't, though. You're still too empty.

IthurtsithurtsITHURTS!

The darkness didn't hurt. Sleep didn't hurt. You don't want this pain...!

You try to pull away, to retreat to the dark, to sleep. The pain only worsens. You still don't know what screaming is, but you're doing it.

**The glass container is on her nightstand as always... She doesn't notice as the glittering sparks flare gold, but her nursemaid/bodyguard/teacher does.**

**It is difficult to ignore the flickering, blurry phantom of a boy's shadow silently screaming in his sleep, after all.**

_It's alright... It's alright...!_

When did the light get so close...? And what's it doing...?

...You don't really care, actually... It's taking the pain away, and that's enough for you.

You find yourself beginning to fall asleep again, but it's different this time.

This time, as you drift away with that tiny light's warmth seeping into the slightly-less-empty hollowness that is your being and slowly but surely reminding you where the darkness ends and you, _you_, not nothing, not cold-dark-quiet-empty, _you_ begin...

This time, you dream...

_The shadow stepped into the light, turned to face them... Red, Green, Blue, Violet... The shadow smiled and reached for the shining warmth as the bright rainbow watched... Turned white and pure and disappeared..._

You slowly become more aware as time passes. Less hollow. Less lifeless. You remember their faces, their names... Green. Red. Blue. _Vio._

**The sleeping shadow-boy is less of a shadow now, the nursemaid notes. More of a boy, really, though a very pale, lifeless one, and still badly blurred even beneath the gaze of her Sheikan eyes...**

You still don't remember yours. Not yet. But you know you have one. A name. A face, too. You've seen it in a dream, looking into a blurry black mirror. With each dream _-each memory-_, the tiny light pulls you further out of the darkness, closer to the far-away voices. It never leaves you, and sometimes it whispers things. You don't understand what it says, though. It isn't even that you don't remember how to listen, because you do, actually.

The little light is speaking a language you never knew. Never, not even before you forgot. It's still comforting, even though you can't understand it. Maybe you're just not supposed to.

You just listen to the voices and drift off again. You don't know it, but you're smiling.

**A young knight in vibrant emerald, fists clenched at the sound of that jarring label that no longer fits... **_"Father, I know it sounds strange, but... could you please just call me by my other name instead...?"_

**A 'caged' girl sitting glumly on her bed, wishing she had her teddy to hold... **_"If only I could just be "Red" and not "Scarlette", just for a little while... Goddesses, why couldn't I have been born a boy?"_

**The son of a rich family with a toy stuffed bear as his only clue, glaring into a full-length mirror...** _"Argh, dammit! This is so stupid! What in the names of Farore, Nayru and Din HAPPENED that day?!"_

**An intelligent youth with pale, knowing eyes, poring over a beginner's spellbook without really seeing the words... **_"I feel like I'm forgetting something..."_

The next time you wake up, everything is twisting and warping and you scream and scream and scream because _this isn't right it HURTS it HURTS you have to warn them tell them somehow something is wrong something is wrong SOMETHING IS WRONG!_

_Nngh...!_

The little light is whimpering, too... This isn't the darkness's doing. This is something else. That worries you. When things go wrong, the four pieces of the rainbow in your memory set out to set them to rights. You should be there with them, but you can't. You don't even know your own name. It... frustrates you.

_"Tell me, are they walking straight into danger? What has made you so agitated?"_

You try to answer the voice, but you don't know how to reach out to it, and you only manage to exhaust yourself in your fruitless attempt.

You are starting to get really sick of sleeping, but you don't know how to wake up.

_"The four of you had better come back, for his sake as well as mine..."_

The next time you wake up, there is another presence in the darkness with you and the tiny light. It feels weird and far away, and somehow you know it's sleeping, but not how you're sleeping, and the little light doesn't seem bothered by it, so you don't pay it any mind.

It does feel strangely familiar, though, but not like the rainbow... Weird as it is to even think it, it feels a lot like _you_.

**A too-thin wraith of a youth, locked deep within a Time-bound slumber until the time comes to awaken...**

You remember your name now, and how you got here. You broke the Dark Mirror and let yourself fade into the light instead of fleeing to the Dark World. You had wanted to stay with them, just for a little longer...

_"There. That way, if you can somehow see through the Mirror from the Dark World, you'll be able to see us and not just some cloth, Shadow..."_

That's... Green's voice. Weird. You usually only ever hear the Princess whenever you're not dreaming. A twinge of unease ripples down what would be a spine if you actually had a body as you focus on him, picking up on a trace of that sickening, warped wrongness that had blasted you a few dreams before you remembered your name. You don't really know how much time has passed since you broke the Mirror... Time flows strangely here in the dark.

Whatever's going on, it's giving you a bad feeling...

A cackle rips through the blackness and the little light quivers in fear.

Then comes the screams. Four oh-so-familiar voices, crying out in pain...

_No. No. No! No no no no no no NO!_

The darkness takes advantage of your distraction and lunges, dragging you down. Dammit, no...! You'd finally... remem...bered...

_I won't let you take him away!_

The light blazes like the sun and an unfamiliar hand- that other presence...?- abruptly grabs hold of you and YANKS as your consciousness is swallowed by overwhelming, choking pitch black...

The next time you wake, you're REALLY awake, sprawled on the floor of the Four Sword Sanctuary and panting for breath. The time you spent asleep is really fuzzy, but you remember hearing the voices of the only people in this kingdom who don't see you as a monster, and you remember that faithful little guiding light. It must have been some sort of whacky healing spell the Princess came up with, you guess. You'll ask her when you get the chance...

Later, you meet a white-clad boy with changing eyes and a bright smile, and, once you get over the whole, _OH GODDESSES MY WISH BECAME A LITTLE KID HOW IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE WHAT THE HELL,_ part, you honestly want to laugh a little. How the heck had you ever thought your guiding light had been the Princess when it had been your 'shadow' _-your light-_ all along?

* * *

><p><strong>AN: <strong>Lolnope, not explaining who the other presence is/was, not one bit. That character hasn't appeared in ST yet and I don't wanna spoil too badly. I did give a teaser for what Red and Blue have been doing during their year away from being Links, since ya'll already knew about Vio spending his time at Syrup's and Green's identity crisis. Writing Shadow's thought process in the 2nd Person from, like, 12 AM to 3:30 AM on the first day of fall term when I should be sleeping in preparation for the second is strangely relaxing. Also, stream of consciousness stuff is fun. I suddenly got this idea for fleshing out Shadow's time spent 'asleep' and couldn't stop/go to bed until I finished, so this happened. A quick little key for those who may've been confused...

_This_ is Wish talking. He's speaking Ancient Hylian, which was taught to him by Nayru.

_This_ is stuff from Shadow's memory-dreams and his suppressed thoughts/memories. Also sometimes it's just for emphasis.

_"This" _ and _**"This"**_ is the voices of people talking out in the real world and in bits of memory.

**This** is stuff happening out in the real world.

Thanks for reading, I'm gonna go pass out now and post this in the morning/afternoon when I'm actually semi-coherent, kay? Also, feel free to guess who the mystery presence is, the only other hint you get from me is that he's male. Please review, bye, goodnight... Zzzzzzz...


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